Heat safety tips amid high temperatures

Good evening and thanks for joining us for 22 News at 6, I'm Ciara Speller. And I'm Christina DeMorse. Smoke from wildfires up north in Canada is creating a hot, overcast day here in western Massachusetts. And 22 News reporter Claire Overton is live in Chicopee with how being in hot weather can also be dangerous. Ciara and Christina, hydration is key when it comes to weather this hot and humid, not just for yourself, but also your children and your pets. Try to avoid as much shade as possible. The heat is here. Temperatures feeling like in the 90s in western Massachusetts, which means people are finding ways to stay cool. Many families visiting the Splash Pad in Forest Park. They get overheated very easily and then they get kind of like sickly, you know, almost. So we just drank some nice cold water before we came in here and now she's going to run around out there and cool down and I'm going to sit and relax and cool down. Hydration is one of the most important things to remember on hot days. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to dehydration, but it can impact anyone. Hot weather can be fun and tolerable if you're by Splash Pad or a pool, but it can also get very dangerous if you're not paying attention to how long you've been outside. Making sure you hydrate and even pre-hydrate before you go outside. Just because if you don't, all of a sudden, before you know it, that heat will catch up to you and you will be dehydrated and possibly become sick. If you are outside for a prolonged period of time, there are some symptoms to look out for. Heat rash is kind of the first one where people might get some blotchy skin, but then it will certainly progress into nausea, vomiting. Abdominal or leg cramping is usually the next signs or symptom. Maybe slightly dizzy. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, continue hydrating and don't be afraid to call 911 for help.