Heat Health Information
Recent News
August 1, 2008
Temperatures over 95 degrees coupled with high humidity are considered by health officials to be extreme. This weekend we will see temperatures meet or exceed that level, and citizens are being asked to be vigilant against overheating.
Heat Documents (In PDF Format)
HEAT PLAN - A collaborative effort of the Heat Task Force
The City of Milwaukee Health Department, the regional office of the National Weather Service, the Milwaukee County Division of Emergency Management, the Milwaukee County Dept. on Aging and a wide array of government and community organizations have met together to find ways to reduce the public health threat from heat waves.
Lessons from the 1995 heat wave and a review of research and of other cities' heat response plans have identified discrete action steps, that, when taken in a timely manner, may prevent many cases of heat-related illness and death.
No one single agency can perform all these actions, thus a collaborative Heat Task Force has been formed to join in a coordinated plan of action - the Heat Plan is in pdf format. Each Task Force member organization participates in the planning and execution of the extreme Heat Conditions Plan and has specific responsibilities in the event of a heat wave.
HEAT WAVE - Take it Seriously
Hot weather makes our bodies work harder--just to get rid of the heat! People with heart or lung problems should "cool it" on any hot day. During hot weather we all really need to take care of ourselves.
When two very hot days are joined with hot nights and high humidity, we have a dangerous heat wave that could hurt a lot of people. Milwaukee criteria for Outlooks, Advisories, Watches and Warnings can be found at this linked table which is in pdf format. Humidity combined with high temperatures can make it feel even hotter - this is called the Heat Index. For information about the Heat Index, visit the National Weather Service Forecast website: www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/summer_page.php.
Learn more about emergency preparedness in extreme heat from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/. And for more specific information, Extreme Heat, A Prevention Guide, from CDC, click here, www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp.
Information on Heat and Work
Precautions and quick action could save lives in Hot Summer Weather: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a Heat Stress Guide that offers tips for employers and workers. You can visit them at: www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/index.html
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has also produced a pamphlet called Working in Hot Environments that you can view here: www.cdc.gov/niosh/hotenvt.html
Get heat and other weather information from the National Weather Service website at: www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/.
People at Higher Risk of Heat-Related Illness
More Information
Centers for Disease Control Extreme Heat Page