Emergency Management Chief Guthrie Urges Precautions in Searing Heat

State emergency management officials are advising Floridians to ensure safety amid stifling heat.

“With the heat index value reaching an upwards of 110 degrees in some areas, it’s important to take breaks from the heat and drink plenty of water,” Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said in a prepared statement. “I urge all Floridians to practice heat safety and remember it is never safe to leave children or pets alone in a parked car.”




The heat index in Flagler County is expected to reach 110 on successive days this week. “The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature,” according to the National Weather Service. “This has important considerations for the human body’s comfort. When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature. Evaporation is a cooling process. When perspiration is evaporated off the body, it effectively reduces the body’s temperature. When the atmospheric moisture content (i.e. relative humidity) is high, the rate of evaporation from the body decreases.”

The National Weather Service on Tuesday said a lengthy and dangerous heat wave will continue in South Florida and other parts of the country. “Record breaking heat is expected in the Four Corners states (in the southwest U.S.), Texas to the Lower Mississippi Valley and South Florida each day,” the weather service said in an advisory.

For South Florida, the conditions are affected by “above normal sea surface temperatures and lighter than normal winds,” the weather service said. The Division of Emergency Management warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat increases risks of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It advised people to take precautions such as limiting time spent outside, staying hydrated and wearing loose, lightweight clothing.

–News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive