Officials urge caution to prevent heat-related illnesses

As temperatures have risen across the state and are expected to remain high throughout the summer, public health officials are urging North Carolinians to protect themselves from heat-related illness.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is advising people to ensure hot-weather precautions are in place for themselves, their children, and their pets.

Recommendations include increasing fluid intake, reducing normal activity levels, taking frequent cool-off breaks, and speaking to your doctor about how medications can make you more vulnerable to heat.

Officials also urge people to check on neighbors and never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, where temperatures can quickly reach deadly levels.

The state offers a Crisis Intervention Program to help those who are experiencing an emergency related to heating or cooling.

And Operation Fan Heat Relief is a summer program offering assistance to older adults and adults with disabilities.

According to the North Carolina Heat Report, there have already been 361 emergency department visits for heat-related illness this season through mid-June, mostly in the Piedmont and coastal regions.