The heat is on (and on)

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June 27, 2012 - 12:00 AM

The weather has been more than a passing topic for Iola city officials this week.

The city council’s unanimous decision Monday to call off a round of Recreation Department-sanctioned baseball and softball games due to excessive heat led to a flurry of phone calls to City Hall, the Rec Department and the council members themselves.

Some were critical of the decision; a handful were supportive, but a vast majority were from parents and coaches inquisitive of when games would be played.

City officials announced Tuesday that the start times for games the rest of the week would be pushed back to 8 p.m. or later, when temperatures have ebbed.

“With the weather as warm as it has been, it certainly wasn’t a bad decision” to call off Monday’s games, said Lisa Griffith, a registered nurse and emergency room manager at Allen County Hospital.

Following a few simple rules can lead to safe outdoor activity, even in hot weather, she said. “The key is education.”

Temperatures at or near 100 degrees, and heat indices a few degrees warmer than that, can lead to health complications in short order if proper precautions are not taken, Griffith said.

In recent days, ER staff have treated two patients for heat-related ailments, Griffith said: one older patient, and one child.

The key to staying safe in hot weather is hydration.

“When you’re sweating, you need to replace that sweat with fluids,” Griffith said, particularly water, Gatorade or similar sports drinks.

She advised against drinking sugary soft drinks or juices because of the sugar those drinks contain, “which certainly doesn’t do the kids any good with their electrolyte imbalance.”

Finding shaded areas also is key.

Hydration, or lack thereof, is particularly vital for the elderly, Griffith said, because they tend to drink less than do younger generations.

Griffith said wearing loose, comfortable clothing is ideal, but with a catch.

Somebody wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts has more skin exposed to the sun.

“Definitely wear sunscreen,” she said.

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