Weather Safety
When the weather is extremely hot or extremely cold, young children, the elderly, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at the greatest risk for weather-related illnesses.
Extreme Cold
Although staying inside can help reduce the risk of illness, exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outdoors, can cause serious health problems such as hypothermia or frostbite. Check the temperature in your home often during extremely cold weather. Also, check on elderly friends and neighbors to ensure that their homes are well-heated. Click the following links for more information on:
- Help paying your heating bills
- Home weatherization tips from the US Department of Energy
- Organizations that provide shelter for the homeless
If the cold weather and dry indoor air do a number on your skin, PhillyHealthInfo.org has you covered with these winter skin tips. Click here for more.
Extreme Heat
People suffer heat-related illnesses when their bodies are unable to properly cool down during extreme heat. Factors such as hot living quarters, lack of transportation, overdressing, and not understanding air-quality alerts can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion or heat cramps. Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids is one of the keys to staying hydrated and healthy when the weather gets hot. To get answers to all your weather safety questions, visit our list of Recommended Sites.
If you or a loved one needs help coping with the heat or the cold, PhillyHealthInfo.org is here to help you find the right people to contact in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County. Our health services list in the blue box on the right side of the page is a good place to start.
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