I have to admit a bias before I write this column. I am a die-hard fan of the cold weather, and I don’t do well in these hotter months. Thus, I’m not a big fan of any kind of summer, even cooler, calmer summers.
However, this summer has been everything but cool and calm. The Weather Channel predicted earlier this month that most of the country, including North Carolina, would be facing above-average temperatures this season, and they were pretty spot on, considering the wave of 90- and 100-degree days regularly forecast across the state.
We’ve all seen the headlines about the heat waves and record-breaking highs and the tragedies that come with them, but despite your preference for the heat or the cold, everyone, from students to staff, need to be aware of the real threats posed by these kinds of heat.
Just this summer alone, many North Carolinians have already suffered from being overheated. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, there have already been over 800 hospitalizations this summer, and over 160 of them were June 10-16 alone. The problem will only worsen as we approach July. Unless summer safety is taken more seriously by the public, I foresee this weekly trend growing even more.
Most of us know already know about the most obvious kind of summer danger — that being direct overexposure to high temperatures, usually from spending excess amounts of time outside during work or sports. This can result in dangerous conditions like heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration and other illnesses.
However, while the threat of direct heat overexposure is fairly well-known already, what is apparently still not ubiquitous knowledge are things like the threats of hot cars, hot asphalt, and other harmless things that become very dangerous when combined with the heat.
All these threats mean that college students and staff are groups especially vulnerable to extreme heat. Students are often required to cross long distances and various types of terrain to reach their classes and other destinations. Some students also have jobs or academic work to do that requires prolonged time outdoors. When high temperatures are factored in, this makes these responsibilities much more demanding and dangerous.
Certain staff members are also at extreme risk. Keeping an entire university campus up-to-date and functioning is physically demanding and can require a lot of time spent outdoors, two things that healthdirect (an Australian government-run health website) stated may put them in danger of getting overheated.
The Red Cross insists that if you do have to go out in the extreme heat, you must take the necessary precautions: stay hydrated, don’t overexert yourself, and be on the lookout for signs of heat-related illnesses in yourself or those around you. The dangers are more than just tiredness, heat-related illnesses can cause total fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and other, even more dangerous symptoms.
As previously mentioned, the heat can also make certain parts of the environment around dangerous as well. Most already know about the serious threats posed by hot cars. CNN reported that, on average, 37 children die every year from being left in hot cars.
Animals are at risk too. Banfield Pet Hospital advised animal owners to protect them from heated asphalt and other surfaces, which they said can reach over 145 degrees. While these kinds of threats may be more focused towards children and animals, people of all ages need to be on the lookout for these kinds of hazards.
Oftentimes college students push their own health aside to focus on academic and career success, and while I completely understand that some sacrifice is needed to do well, I feel like it is taken too far a lot of times. Students are already notorious for being malnourished, sleep deprived and overstressed. When you combine all these things with a student who doesn’t heed the dangers of extreme weather, disaster is almost certain.
These dangers won’t just go away by the time school starts back up. The threats of the heat can last well into the fall semester. Of course, all these tips don’t just apply to students and faculty currently in Raleigh for summer sessions.
Even now, as you plan out more outdoor activities and vacations, make sure to be careful and plan out your outdoor activities so you don’t strain or hurt yourself. And while students and faculty often have no choice but to go out under that blistering sun, taking those necessary precautions can help you to preserve your health and fully enjoy the summertime.
