The extended Heat Wave expected in the region will present challenges to those having to deal with extremely hot conditions.

Information on beating the heat is below from the Taney County Health Department:

The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures to be over 100 degrees in Missouri this week. Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of deaths each year. Heat related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke happen quickly during hot and humid weather because the body is not able to cool itself down. When the body’s temperature heats to rapidly to cool itself properly, or when too much fluid or salt is lost through dehydration or sweating, the body temperature rises, and one can experience a heat-related illness.

Cooling centers in Taney County are available at Salvation Army, Branson Senior Center and Forsyth Senior Center. Check our website www.taneycohealth.org for locations and hours. (NOTE: In other regions, check with local health officials for cooling center locations)

Three tips to prevent heat-related illness are:
Stay Cool
 Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
 Stay in air conditioning as much as possible. If you are not living in a place with air conditioning, seek places that do have air conditioning (malls, libraries, cooling centers). Even a few hours spent in air conditioning will help your body to stay cooler when you go back out into the heat
 Limit outdoor activity to early morning and evening time. Rest often in the shade to allow your body to recover
 Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and reapply often
 Do NOT leave children or pets in cars 

Stay Hydrated
 Drink plenty of fluids regardless of how active you are. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink
 Stay away from sugary and alcoholic drinks
 Replace salt and minerals with a sports drink and stay away from alcoholic and sugary drinks.
 Check with your medical professional on how much water to drink if you have high blood pressure or are taking water pills
 Keep your pets hydrated 

Stay Informed
 Check for updates for extreme heat alerts, safety tips and to learn about cooling centers in your area
 Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses
 Check on your neighbors, people over the age of 65, people who are overweight, people who work outside, those that have heart disease or high blood pressure, infants and young children and pets. 

For more information contact the Taney County Health Department at 417-334-4544, visit our website at www.taneycohealth.org, or like our FaceBook, Instagram and Pinterest pages.