Extreme Heat

When it gets hot, it's important to stay safe and healthy. Follow these tips and find cooling centers near you to keep cool and prevent heat-related illnesses. 

Prevent Heat Injuries and Illness 

• Drink Plenty of Fluids: Increase fluid intake regardless of activity. During heavy exercise, drink 16-32 ounces of cool fluids per hour. Avoid alcohol and very cold beverages.

• Replace Salt and Minerals: Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body, which are necessary for your body and must be replaced. The best way to replace salt and minerals is to drink fruit juice or a sports beverage during exercise or any work in the heat. Do not take salt tablets unless directed by your doctor.

• Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen: Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.
  

• Pace Yourself: Start slowly with physical activities and gradually increase the pace. Rest if you feel lightheaded, weak, or faint. 

• Stay Cool Indoors: Stay in air-conditioned areas. Visit shopping malls or public libraries if you don’t have air conditioning. Use cool showers or baths to cool off. 

• Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully: Plan activities for early morning or evening. Rest frequently in shady areas. 

• Use a Buddy System: When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your coworkers and have someone do the same for you. If you are 65 years of age or older, have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. If you know anyone in this age group, check on them at least twice a day.

• Monitor Those at High Risk: Ensure high-risk individuals drink plenty of fluids and avoid overexertion. Consult a doctor about medications.  

• Adjust to the Environment: Be aware that any sudden change in temperature, such as an early summer heat wave, will be stressful to your body. You will have a greater tolerance for the heat if you limit your physical activity until you become accustomed to the heat. 

• Use Common Sense: Avoid hot foods and heavy meals. Never leave children or pets in parked cars. Provide pets with shade and water. 

Power Outage Food Safety

Extreme heat can increase the risk of food spoiling during a power outage. Follow these safety measures during and after a power outage to avoid foodborne illness:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. Ensure the refrigerator temperature is 40 degrees or below and the freezer temperature is 0 degrees or below.
• Foods such as leftovers, milk, fresh meat and poultry should be moved to the freezer to maintain a safe temperature for a longer period.
• Any perishable food that has been above 40 degrees for two hours or more should be discarded. Never taste food to determine if it's safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Dispose of perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, milk, leftovers) after four hours without power or a cold source.

What is a Cooling Center?

During heat waves or a heat index over 95 degrees, the City may open additional cooling centers. Heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important considerations for the human body’s comfort. Cooling centers are city operated, public facilities, such as libraries, community, and senior centers, where hours are extended to allow people to sit in a cool place. Please contact Community Centers and Library locations ahead of time to confirm they are open in the case of any planned or unexpected closures.

To learn about city operated cooling center locations during extreme heat, visit:

Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Cooling Center page
Long Beach Public Library Cooling Center page

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