Temperatures nearing 100 degrees in the shade earlier this week prompted the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory for most of Massachusetts, including Harvard. While the mayor of Boston declared a heat emergency for the city and opened cooling centers, Harvard residents flocked to the town beach or stayed indoors with fans or air conditioners.
Rick Sicard, the town’s fire chief and head of the emergency management team, told the Press it would be up to his team to open cooling centers. Several years ago Hildreth House served as a cooling center one weekend, staffed by volunteers. Sicard said if a small number of people requested relief from the heat, he would send them to Hildreth House or the library. If more people needed a cooling center, the new school would be available.
Heat advisories are generally issued when the maximum heat index is expected to be between 100 and 104 degrees for at least two hours during the day. The heat index is determined by temperature and relative humidity, and it describes what the outside temperature feels like to the human body. When humidity is high, perspiration doesn’t evaporate, reducing the body’s ability to cool itself.
High heat indexes, like the 104 degree number this area was expected to see, are not to be taken lightly. When the heat index exceeds 103 degrees, the NWS considers temperatures to be at a dangerous level. That means heat cramps or heat exhaustion are likely during physical activity or prolonged exposure, and heat stroke is possible. In addition, because the heat index is calculated using temperatures in the shade, activity in sunlight is even more dangerous, increasing the index by as much as 15 degrees.
Council on Aging Director Debbie Thompson emailed residents who are on her mailing list with information about where to go to stay cool, as well as the warning signs of heat-related illness. Chief Sicard said that anyone who needs to get out of the heat should call dispatch at 978-391-5262, and staff there will notify him. If someone has symptoms of heat stroke, call 911 immediately: It is a life-threatening emergency. Symptoms of heat stroke include body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, fast pulse, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and passing out.
Children and adults cool off at Bare Hill Pond on Tuesday afternoon. June 2021 was the warmest June on record. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
How to stay healthy during a heat wave
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following advice for preventing heat-related illnesses during a heat wave. These illnesses include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Note that infants, young children, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
- Stay out of the sun; limit outdoor activity to morning or evening; cut down on outdoor exercise.
- Use the buddy system when doing outdoor physical activity.
- Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. The Harvard Public Library is open every day except Friday and Sunday; check the website for hours. Hildreth House has window air conditioners and is open to the public on weekdays until 3 p.m. Shopping malls are also an option.
- Take cool baths or showers to cool down.
- Electric fans will not prevent heat-related illnesses if the indoor temperature is in the high 90s.
- Reduce stove and oven use; avoid hot, heavy meals.
- Drink plenty of fluids even if you don’t feel thirsty; make sure pets have access to cool water.
- Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks.
- Heavy sweating depletes salt and minerals—replenish with sports drinks.
- Never leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open. If you have young children, lock cars parked in garages or driveways.
- Know the signs of heat-related illnesses. A printable list of symptoms and what action to take is available at cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html.
