To protect your child from the heat, use common sense to avoid dangerous situations with Arizona's extreme outdoor temperatures.
- Plan errands and recreational activities for the early morning and evening. Avoid being outside from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun is the hottest.
- Teach your children to wear shoes outside. The concrete can be hot enough to cause second-degree burns.
- Check the temperature of buckles and car seats — they can reach the temperature of a hot skillet. Park in covered parking or under shade whenever possible.
- Keep water with you. Pack extra bottles in the car in case of an emergency. Recommendations vary, but clear urine is a sign of being well hydrated.
- Wear sunscreen. Make sunscreen part of your morning routine. Lather up your kids before dressing them to ensure they're protected, even if you're not around water.
Heat cramps, exhaustion and even heat stroke are not uncommon in Arizona. Here are some symptoms to look for when diagnosing a heat-related illness:
- Muscle spasms or cramps
- Cold sweat
- Extreme fatigue
- Flushed cheeks
- Nausea, headache, upset stomach or vomiting, and dizziness
- Hot, dry red skin, dizziness and confusion
- Rapid weak pulse
- Rapid shallow breathing
Water safety
Pools and lakes fill up during the summer months, not just with water, but with people. The combination can be deadly if you don't take precautions. Stay safe around water by:
- Remembering that two seconds is too long to divert your attention from a child in or around water.
- Constantly supervising children. Assign a designated child watcher. Schedule 30-minute increments in which one adult is on duty. Make sure everyone knows who is responsible for watching kids around the pool.
- Learning CPR. Take CPR training. Post CPR steps on the refrigerator as a reminder.
- Having non-swimmers wear personal flotation devices.
- Installing a secured barrier around your pool. The Arizona Legislature requires that pool fences be at least five feet high.
- Keeping toilet lids closed, and buckets and pails empty.
- Having a telephone outside by the pool.
- Forbidding running around the pool.
