FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – With the weather warming up in the Peace Region, the Fort St. John Professional Fire Fighters Association is warning the public to watch out for heat-related illnesses this summer.
“Too much heat can be harmful to your health. Heat-related illness is the result of your body gaining heat faster than it can cool itself down. Heat-related illnesses can almost always be prevented,” the association said in a social media post.
They shared an image from the Internation Association of Fire Fighters that included prevention tips and warning signs.
Prevention tips included watching the weather, modifying activities as needed, drinking lots of fluids, wearing appropriate clothing and avoiding alcoholic drinks.
The warning signs include muscle cramps, dilated or constricted pupils, confusion or disorientation, headache, nausea or vomiting.
According to Northern Health, signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, severe headache, muscle cramps, extreme thirst, and dark urine.
It recommends seeking a cooler environment, drinking plenty of water and using water to cool the body if these symptoms occur.
The health authority says heat stroke is a medical emergency. If an individual is experiencing severe headache, confusion, unsteadiness, loss of thirst, nausea and vomiting, and either dark urine or no urine, call 9-1-1 as these are signs of a serious heat-related illness.
For additional information or tips, visit Northern Health’s website.
