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Alexander Cain
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Feeling the heat
Start of summer brings high temps
As temperatures reached near 100 degrees over the weekend, many Milledgeville and Baldwin County residents were sent searching for ways to keep cool under the scorching skies.
“We’ve had more than 100 so far. We’ll probably reach more than 150 by the time the day is over,” Francine Moats, who oversees the Baldwin County Recreation Department pool at Walter B. Williams Park, said Saturday when questioned on the number of pool visitors.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued a heat advisory for Central Georgia over the weekend for counties including Putnam, Hancock, Wilkinson, Washington and Baldwin.
The effects of the hot weather were found all across the area Saturday as the Oconee River Greenway Riverwalk and Lake Sinclair, among other locations, suddenly became more popular with locals and visitors.
At Milledgeville’s Lockerly Arboretum, the temperatures inside Lockerly Hall reached as high as 88 degrees inside the nearly 200-year-old home as a group toured the facility and kept water bottles close at hand.
Less than two hours later, an electronic sign outside Century Bank & Trust on North Columbia Street flashed a temperature reading of 101 degrees to passing motorists.
The weekend advisory finally ended at 9 p.m. Sunday, but with the official first day of summer having been marked that same day and the NWS predicting high temperatures for the rest of the week in the 90s as of Monday afternoon, it’s important to make sure to take precautions to avoid heat-related incidents, according to Dr. Sal Dellacona, an emergency attending with Oconee Regional Medical Center.
“We were quite lucky. We didn’t have any heat-related injuries or illnesses this weekend,” Dellacona reported when contacted by phone Monday afternoon. “But if you don’t have to be in the heat, then be in an air conditioned area as much as you can.”
Dellacona’s advice to those in areas affected by high heat such as the temperatures seen Saturday and Sunday is to stay in an air conditioned area when possible, drink a lot of water and to avoid alcohol, which acts as a diuretic and takes away liquid from the body.
“When the weather gets above 90 degrees, a little common sense goes a long way. You’ve got to be careful,” Dellacona said.
Symptoms of a heat-related illness can include sunburn, nausea, weakness or a headache, among others.
“When that happens, you need to get out of that weather as soon as possible,” Dellacona said.
Pets such as cats and dogs and other outdoor animals can also succumb to the high temperatures if not properly cared for by their owners.
“It’s best to bring them indoors if it’s really hot, but if they can’t go inside, then provide a lot of water and plenty of shade,” Bobbie Thompson with Milledgeville’s Animal Rescue Foundation said. “If you’re used to bringing your pets with you when you leave your home, then leave them at home. Don’t leave them in a parked car. Let them stay at home in the comfort of the air conditioning or in the shade.”
At 5 p.m. Monday, a seven-day forecast from the National Weather Service in Atlanta predicted temperatures in the 90s for the rest of the week, with a Monday high of 97, today’s high at 95 and a Wednesday high of 96.
The forecast predicted a slight drop in high temperatures for the rest of the week, though the highs will stay above 90 and the lows will rest around the 70 degree mark, according to the NWS.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta recommends wearing “lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing” during hotter weather and recommends limiting outdoor activity “to morning and evening hours.”
The CDC also recommends keeping a close eye on infants and young children, people age 65 and older and those who are physically ill with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure, as those are the demographics that are most at risk from heat-related illnesses.
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