First Heatwave of 2008

It won’t be summer for more than a month yet, but the first heat wave of 2008 is upon us, and Santa Barbara County officials are prepping the public on how to stay cool in the heat. High temperatures are expected to be in the low 80s through Monday, and the lows should be in the 60s. The sun will also be out, as there will be little to no cloud cover.

According to County Public Health Director Eliot Schulman, roughly 400 people die in the United States every year because of the heat. “What’s most important is that all heat related illnesses are preventable,” he said in a statement. Staying in air conditioned buildings is ideal to keeping chill, but the Public Health Department has a list of recommendations to keep away the effects of the hot weather:

Drink a lot of non-alcoholic liquids.

Wear light clothing.

Reduce strenuous activities.

Check frequently on high risk people, especially youth and elderly, and people with health conditions.