United States: Philadelphia remains in the grip of a severe heat health emergency as soaring temperatures persist throughout this week.
The Philadelphia Department of Health initiated this measure at 8 am on Thursday, with plans to conclude it at midnight on Sunday.
That’s because Heat Health Emergency activation puts other initiatives like opening cooling stations and increasing day activities into making sure vulnerable populations are helped, according to 6abc. com.
The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s (PCA) headline at 215-765-9040 will operate every subsequent day, starting from 8:30 am to midnight for the next three consecutive days. The citizens are also advised to dial this number to seek guidance on measures to take in order to prevent heat stress and signs of this perilous condition.
Cooling facilities and locations
In response to the Heat Health Emergency, the city is establishing 153 Cooling Centers and Sites across Philadelphia. This includes extended operational hours at Free Library branches, Parks and Recreation Centers, pools, playgrounds, Older Adult Centers, and PHA Senior Sites, as per 6abc.com.
Residents can locate all designated Cooling Centers and Sites on a provided map or by calling 311.
Utility suspensions
The Philadelphia Water Department will halt service shutoffs during the Heat Health Emergency period. Regular shutoffs due to non-payment will resume after the emergency concludes.
Outreach and shelter for homeless individuals
It should also be noted that during this Code Red the Office of Homeless Services will actively prevent homelessness in Philadelphia. If one you come across a person out there in the streets or other forms of homelessness seeking for shelter and or other forms of homeless related services kindly contact the outreach at 215-232-1984. In case of an urgent need for medical treatment, one should call the emergency number 911.
Tips for staying safe
This is true for both normal individuals and healthy ones; heat stress has damaging health effects. Based on a report by 6abc.com, individuals above 60 years of age, pregnant women, infants, children of young age, and patients with certain chronic disorders are more vulnerable.
Prepare by familiarizing yourself with symptoms of heat-related illnesses and methods to stay cool.
Indicators of heat-related illnesses
The onset of muscle cramps can signal heat-related infections.
Symptoms may include:
– Extreme sweating.
– Painful muscle spasms, often in the abdomen, arms, or calves.