Ballwin Heat Index at 101 Monday; County Health Dept. Warns of Heat Dangers

County health officials advised residents around Ellisville, Ballwin and throughout St. Louis county on Monday to take special precautions against forecast temperatures as high as 96 degrees and higher heat indexes this week.

Spokespersons for the health department said 17 people were treated for heat exhaustion over the weekend; There were 5 people admitted to local hospitals for heat exhaustion while 12 were treated then released, the department said. Ballwin and Ellisville on Monday afternoon recorded temperatures as high as 94 degrees. The heat index late afternoon Monday was 101 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.

Delores Gun, director of the St. Louis County Health Department, said residents must try to be practical during the high temperatures, which have prompted a heat advisory active until 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“Saint Louis experiences heat waves almost every year and it is important to observe common sense precautions whenever this happens,” Gunn said in a written release.

Whenever temperatures rise above 95 degrees, the St. Louis County Health Department recommends the following:

• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Spend as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum.
• Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine.
• Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room.
• Eat light, easily-digested foods, avoiding hot, heavy, or greasy meals.
• Be sure not to leave food unrefrigerated for long – food spoils rapidly in the heat.
• Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly –especially young children and the elderly.  Check on your neighbors and relatives if they may be vulnerable or do not have air conditioning.
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion.  If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.
• Know the signs of heat stroke.  Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion.  The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops.  If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately.  Heat stroke is life threatening!

For information on what to do during a hot-weather emergency, Missouri and Southwest Illinois residents may reach Operational Weather Survial and United Way by calling 2-1-1. Cell phone users with providers other than AT&T or Verizon should call 1-800-427-4626.

For senior citizens with health concerns related to paying  for air-conditioning, bill assistance information is available by calling United Way 2-1-1 at 2-1-1, or 1-800-427-4626. All calls are free and confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People also are asked to take special precautions with their pets during high temperatures. St. Louis County health officials said pet owners should:

• Regularly check a pet’s water to make sure it’s clean and fresh. Ample drinking water is vital to animals during hot and humid conditions. Make sure to adjust the drinking quantity for the size and number of pets in the area.  You can also spray your pet with water to cool them off.
• Provide a shady spot for pets. A pen near trees will work or you can fasten a sunroom screen to the sides and top of the pen to provide shade too.
• Never leave your pet unattended in a hot vehicle. Internal vehicle temperatures can reach 150 degrees.