Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

High temperatures kill hundreds of people every year. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet more than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States.

Take measures to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed. Getting too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off. The main things affecting your body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are:

• High humidity. When the humidity is high, sweat won’t evaporate as quickly. This keeps your body from releasing heat as fast as it may need to.
• Personal factors. Age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use all can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather.
• MORE INFO AND TIPS ON HOW TO STAY SAFE

L.A. County has set up facilities to help escape the heat. The Brakensiek Library located at 9945 E. Flower St. serves as Bellflower’s local cooling center. To find other cooling centers in the County, visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat. 

If you’d like to cool off outside, the Caruthers Park Splash Pad is now open at 10500 E. Flora Vista St. Splash Pad is for ages 12 and under only. Children ages 6 and under must have adult supervision. No animals allowed in splash pad area (except service animals). For additional rules and guidelines, please call (562) 866-5684 or visit the Parks and Recreation page at www.bellflower.org