CofC Professor Provides Tips for Keeping Cool in a Heat Wave

^{Above: Extreme heat can become lethal quickly. A young man cools off at Washington, D.C.’s Yards Park during a heat wave in 2021. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images}

College of Charleston public health professor Brian Bossak has published an article in The Conversation concerning heat waves about their effects on our bodies. He provides an overview of the signs of heat-related illnesses to watch for, a guide to telling when the heat is too high and tips for staying safe in a heat wave.

Bossak, who studies health risks in a warming climate, says he has seen heat become a growing concern. He warns that heat risk is not just about temperature, but also about humidity, and suggests that, instead of just looking at temperatures when planning outdoor activities, we should also check the heat index. Still, he says, the heat index is a conservative measure of the impact of heat on humans.

“Temperature measurements used in weather forecasting are taken in the shade and are not exposed to direct sunlight. If someone is outside and exposed to the direct sun, the actual heat index can be as much as 15 F higher than the heat index chart indicates,” says Bossak. “A more sophisticated measurement of heat effects on human health is what’s known as the wet-bulb globe temperature, which takes into account other variables, such as wind speed and cloud cover.”

In the article, Bossak provides some practical tips for keeping cool in a heat wave and what to look for when it comes to heat cramps, heat rash, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Read the complete article on The Conversation.