DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Thousands woke up without power across the Miami Valley Thursday morning, and it didn’t take long to feel the discomfort of life without air conditioning as temperatures increased throughout the day.
Health experts are urging residents to monitor their health and take precautions during this heatwave.
“Moving into a cool environment, even if you have to move to a public place, and getting lots of fluids in is important. The type of fluid is also important,” Dr. Nancy Pook said. “Water and electrolytes solutions are preferred — not alcohol or soda, coffee so much, although you can have some of that it’s important to do the healthy hydration as well.”
Dr. Pook says heat-related illnesses must be taken seriously.
Individuals such as the elderly, young children, and those with preexisting conditions should have a plan in place ready to go.
“Exposure to heat can be very difficult for people with medical conditions because some people are actually reliant on electrical equipment to get through the day,” Dr. Pook added. “It might be dialysis, they might have a med neb, or oxygen requirements, and so there will be a finite lifetime of that, and they should have a safety plan in place for when the electricity goes out.”
When it comes to these individuals, they need special attention from family and neighbors to check on others throughout the day.
