June 6, 2012 Vol. 91 No. 23
The St. Louis County Health Department urges caution during extreme heat.
The Heat is On!
IN this Issue
Summer may not officially be here for a couple of more weeks, but the Saint Louis area has already experienced its first wave of extreme heat. The Saint Louis County Department of Health is strongly urging caution and common sense during periods of extreme heat. “Saint Louis experiences extreme heat almost every year and it’s important to observe common sense precautions whenever this happens,” said Dr. Dolores Gunn, director of the Health Department. Whenever temperatures rise above 95 degrees, the Health Department recommends the following: • Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, lightcolored clothing. • Spend as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum. • Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine. • Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room. • Eat light, easily-digested foods, avoiding hot, heavy, or greasy meals. • Be sure not to leave food unrefrigerated for long – food spoils rapidly in the heat. • Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly – especially young children and the elderly. Check on your neighbors and relatives if they may be vulnerable or do not have air conditioning. • Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately. • Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening! If a person is unable to keep his or her Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
residence cool and needs to find a cooling center, that person is urged to call the United Way of Greater Saint Louis by dialing 211 from his or her home landline phone, or by dialing 1.800.427.4626 from any other type of phone. Residents are also urged to consider pets whenever temperatures rise. Here are some tips for protecting pets during hot weather: • Regularly check a pet’s water to make sure it’s clean and fresh. Ample drinking water is vital to animals during hot and humid conditions. Make sure to adjust the drinking quantity for the size and number of pets in the area. You can also spray your pet with water to cool them off. • Provide a shady spot for pets. A pen near trees will work or you can fasten a sunroom screen to the sides and top of the pen to provide shade too. • Never leave your pet unattended in a hot vehicle. Internal vehicle temperatures can reach 150 degrees. For more information, please visit the department’s Heat Safety Tips webpage at: www.stlouisco.com/HealthandWellness/HeatSafetyTips Learn & Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. • O’Fallon, MO 63366
The Saint Louis County Department of Health is a member of Operation Weather Survival – a network of public and private organizations that collaborate, coordinate resources, and help educate the public to prevent illness, injury,
and death caused by extreme hot or cold weather. More information about Operation Weather Survival can be found at: www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/?n=operation weathersurvivalnew2
Movie Talk
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“Moonrise Kingdom” - Photo courtesy of Focus Features
Joe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Shelly Schneider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
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What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15
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