County shares risks, offers fans and list of cooling sites
The Walworth County Division of Public Health urges residents to protect themselves from heat-related illness during the upcoming summer months. Most heat-related illnesses involve the elderly or individuals who have chronic illnesses, but also at risk are children, athletes, and outdoor workers.
Risks associated with a heat wave include:
- Heat cramps: this includes muscular pains and spasms resulting from heavy exertion. These symptoms are often the first signal that the body is suffering from excessive heat.
- Heat exhaustion: this includes fainting, rash, fatigue, and nausea. Skin may become clammy and moist.
- Heat stroke/ sun stroke: symptoms include: hot, dry skin, the absence of sweat, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness. This is a life-threatening condition.
Take preventative steps
To prevent risks from excessive heat, individuals should do the following:
Seek air-conditioning: if your home does not have to air-condition, consider investing in an affordable evaporative air cooler. If that’s not convenient, seek areas that do – such as libraries, shopping malls, community/senior centers, grocery stores, movie theatres – during the warmest period of the day (see Cooling sites.) If you must stay in a home without air-conditioning, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine, however, it is really easy to get things like Water Source Heat Pumps to cool down your home at a lower cost than most other systems, so it is definitely worth looking into.
– Avoid strenuous activities: This is particularly true during the hottest time of the day. Individuals who perform strenuous work during the heat of the day are especially at risk.
– Wear light-weight, light-colored clothing: Light colors reflect the sun’s rays better than dark colors, which absorb the heat. Protect the face and head with a wide-brimmed hat.
– Check on family members, neighbors, and friends who are vulnerable. Move them to air-conditioned places if possible.
– Drink plenty of fluids: Increase fluid intake even if you are not thirsty.
– Never leave pets or people, especially children or infants, unattended in cars during a he
atwave.
Fans available
Walworth County Health Department would once again like to remind individuals that fans are available during hours of operation at the following locations while supplies last, limit one per household: Aram Public Library, 404 E. Walworth Ave., Delavan; East Troy Village Hall, 2015 Energy Dr., East Troy; Genoa City Public Library, 126 Freeman St., Genoa City; University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Anderson Library, 800 W. Main St., Whitewater; Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W Main St., Lake Geneva; Walworth County Health and Human Services, W4051 County Road NN, Elkhorn.
Cooling sites
Below is a list of designated cooling sites around Walworth County.
Darien: Darien Public Library and the Senior Center, 47 Park St.
Delavan: Aram Public Library, 404 E. Walworth St.
East Troy: East Troy Lions Public Library, 6094 E. Graydon Ave.
Elkhorn: Matheson Memorial Library, 101 N. Wisconsin St.
Lake Geneva: Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W Main St. and the Town of Geneva Town Hall, 626 Geneva St.
Walworth: Walworth Memorial Library, 525 Kenosha St.
Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Anderson Library, 800 W. Main St. and Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, 431 W. Center St.
Williams Bay: Barret Memorial Library, 65 W. Geneva St.
If heat risks do occur, cool the body as soon as possible. For symptoms of heat exhaustion, call your doctor. For symptoms of heat stroke, call 9-1-1.
For more information contact the Walworth County Division of Public Health at (262) 741-3140.
