There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight.

With Memorial Day weekend approaching — the unofficial start of the summer season — now is the right time to prepare for the summer heat.

In spite of the brutally cold winter we just went through, it’s time now to look ahead and prepare ourselves for the type of heat we’re used to in our area. According to the National Weather Service, heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year.

In 1995 more than 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat, making it the deadliest weather event in Chicago history. We also know that in August 2003, a record heat wave in Europe claimed an estimated 50,000 lives. Heat related illnesses can range from heat cramps to heat exhaustion to the more serious heat stroke. No one can know exactly the weather pattern we will experience over the next three or four months. But what we can control is our preparedness and knowledge for heat related events.The Health Department will follow the National Weather Service’s warnings and advisories throughout the summer. Further, as we know that heat can affect air quality, we will be posting air quality alerts on our website HERE.

Four terms to remember:

• Excessive Heat Outlook
• Excessive Heat Watch
• Excessive Heat Advisory
• Excessive Heat Warning

Visit the Kane County Health Department website HERE to learn more about these and other dangers of heat.

SOURCE:  Kane County Health Department’s “Health Matters” Newsletter

To sign up for the Health Matters Newsletter, click HERE.

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