Cooling and Warming Centres

• older adults;
• infants and young children;
• people with chronic illnesses such as breathing difficulties, heart conditions or psychiatric illnesses;
• people who work and/or exercise in the heat; and
• those without air conditioning in their homes.

If you take medication or have a health condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist if it increases your health risk in the heat and follow their recommendations.

Heat-Related Illness

Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat fainting, heat edema (swelling of hands, feet and ankles), heat rash and heat cramps. Symptoms of these illnesses may include:

• dizziness or fainting;
• nausea or vomiting;
• headache;
• rapid breathing and heartbeat;
• extreme thirst; and
• decreased urination with unusually dark yellow urine.

If you experience any of these symptoms during extreme heat, immediately move to a cool place and drink liquids. Water is best.

Heat-related illnesses are preventable. To reduce your risk of heat-related illness, here are a few things you can do:

• Avoid the sun.
• Drinking lots of cool liquids, especially water before you feel thirsty. Thirst is not a reliable measure of dehydration.
• Reschedule or plan outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day.
• Wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing made of breathable fabric.
• Never leave people or pets in your care inside a parked vehicle or in direct sunlight.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Prepare meals that don't need to be cooked in an oven.
• Block sun out by closing curtains or blinds during the day.
• Shade yourself by wearing a wide-brimmed, breathable hat or using an umbrella.
• Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water and avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine.
• Choose cool water and coconut water and the occasional fizzy drink.
• Eat high water content foods like watermelon, grapes, cucumber and tomatoes.
• Exercise outdoors.
• Head out early or late in the day. Choose larger green spaces with shade.
• Turn off or unplug as many appliances as possible.
• Fix meals with little or no cooking.
• Unplug appliances when not in use to reduce heat created.
• Create a cold water bottle.
• Fill a hot water bottle with cold water and freeze then place near your feet.
• Keep your hot/cold therapy pack in the freezer.
• Use a fan wisely.
• Fans can just circulate hot humid air, so point it out a window to push the hot air out or place a shallow bowl of ice in front of the fan to blow cooler air toward you.
• If sleeping is unbearable, try a slightly damp towel in bed.
• Use a cool/cold foot bath to cool you down.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a medical emergency.

Call 911 immediately if you are caring for someone who has a high body temperature and is unconscious, confused or has stopped sweating.

While waiting for medical help to arrive, if you can, help cool the person by:

• moving them to a cool place;
• applying cold water to large areas of the skin or clothing; and
• fanning the person as much as possible