The mercury spiked to almost 100 degrees Monday, but without any formal cooling centers, health officials, and directors of senior centers and homeless shelters said Carroll County residents were coping with the heat wave on their own.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no increase in emergency calls related to high temperatures, said Scott Campbell, administrator for the county?s Office of Public Safety, and no patients with heat-related illnesses were admitted into Carroll Hospital Center?s emergency room, hospital spokeswoman Mary Spiro said.
But as thermometers continue to rise, the chances of residents suffering from weather-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, will also increase. “Any person?s tolerance is going to be worn down with extended exposure to [heat],” Campbell said. “Avoid over-exertion and try to recognize your limits.
Carroll County?s demographics and limited high-density housing save it from needing the cooling centers found in Baltimore City and Harford County, explained county health official Larry Leitch.
Seniors can find relief at one of the county?s five senior centers, said Rita Zimmerman, deputy director of the county?s Department of Citizen Services. But Patty Whitson, county community services supervisor, said none of the senior centers reported any increase in visitors looking to escape the heat.
Additionally, none of the 70 seniors contacted through Seniors Keeping in Touch, a program in which volunteers call daily to check in on elderly residents, said they required cooler surroundings, county spokeswoman Vivian Laxton said.
No visitors or calls to the county?s five homeless shelters requested any additional relief from the weather, said Holly Hutchins, deputy director of the county Human Services Department.
Tips to beat the heat
» Stay away from alcohol and caffeine because they dry the body out.
» Eat small meals.
