With temperatures above 100-degrees, working outside may be a little more dangerous than normal. Since Northern Nevada is so dry, the temperature can be deceiving.
"It allows you to feel cooler," Dr. Joseph Iser said. "Right now, I think both of us are probably sweating because we're outdoors but we don't feel it as much because it's instantly evaporating."
Iser is the District Health Officer for the Washoe County Health District. He says without sweating, people might not realize they are getting dehydrated. It's recommended that people working or exercising outside drink two to four glasses of water every hour, often keeping a water jug nearby. But these aren't the only people at risk.
"Besides the people who are out working in the sun, the age groups that are at biggest risk are the older folks because they don't have the ability to control their heat through sweating as easily as those of us, our age," Iser said.
"We really pay special attention to our medically fragile children and medically fragile staff out there," Nurse Manager for Washoe County School District Heidi Julius said. "Since we have such a high heat index, we don't want any harm to come to them."
Year-round schools are aware of summer heat dangers, so they have taken steps to keep students safe, especially during recess.
"Teachers do a good job before they come out," Kent Vallier said. "They come out, right from lunch, so they're drinking milk or juice or water, in the cafeteria."
Vallier is the principal at Double Diamond Elementary School, where there are also drinking fountains throughout the playground and shady areas for kids to get out of the sun. Once recess is done, they get a chance to cool off immediately.
"They'll engage in either a reading activity or read aloud, maybe dim the lights a little bit, make sure everybody gets a drink," Vallier said.
If you notice any heat-related symptoms like profuse sweating, dizziness, fatigue, or headache, health officials say to immediately get somewhere cool and drink some water.
Written by Paul Nelson
