Each summer Charlotte-Mecklenburg experiences days of extreme heat as well as extreme humidity that causes the heat index to increase. While there is no way to control the weather, there are things that you can do to be better prepared to handled a heat emergency.

During extremely hot times follow these safety tips:

• Drink plenty of water regularly and eat well-balanced, light meals. 
• Slow down.  Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day. 
• Stay indoors as much as possible. If you have no air conditioning, stay on the lowest floor out of the sun, or visit a public building with air conditioning. 
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine. (Alcohol causes further dehydration). 
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothes that cover as much skin as possible. 
• When outside, protect your face and head by wearing a wide-brimmed hat. 
• Allow your body to adjust to the heat for the first two or three days of a heat wave. 
• Avoid too much sunshine (sunburn) and extreme temperature changes. 
• Protect windows. Hang shades, draperies, awnings on windows. 
• High-risk individuals should stay in cool places such as home or public buildings.

• Heat Wave - prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity.  The National Weather Service steps up its procedures to alert the public during these periods of excessive heat and humidity.
• Heat Index - A number of degree Fahrenheit (F) that tells how hot it really feels when relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees F.
• Heat Cramps - Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat crams are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
• Heat Exhaustion - Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs.  This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke.
• Heat Strokes - Heat stroke is life-threatening.  The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.  
• Sunstroke - Another term for heat stroke
• Ozone Index - This index alerts citizens to the amount of ozone present in the atmosphere. This condition is experienced in Charlotte-Mecklenburg during the warmer weather months.  The higher the ozone index, the more difficult it will be for citizens to take precautions, especially if they are susceptible to breathing problems.
  

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