It's nearing July; time for heat check

For the past several days, our region not only has watched river levels rise to inconvenient and sometimes dangerous heights, but the mercury has been spiking as well, with temperatures ranging from the upper 80s to the mid-90s and the heat index hitting triple digits.

June is rapidly advancing toward July, meaning this is our region's hottest time of year.

Appropriately enough, this also is Missouri Summer Weather Safety Week. That means the state Department of Health and Senior Services, Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service are banding together to call attention to being as safe as possible as temperatures climb.

The following are tips the agencies have put together for anyone who's trying to make it through the summer unscathed:

• Check on anyone you know who doesn't have air conditioning and who spends most of their time alone.
• Don't leave small children or pets in closed vehicles.
• Eat light, well-balanced meals regularly.
• Drink plenty of water and limit any alcohol consumption.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and lightly colored clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
• Wear hats with brims and sunscreen.
• Avoid strenuous work during the warmest parts of the day (noon to 2 or 3 p.m.).
• Be careful with medicines that can impair your body's response to heat. Those can include antihistamines/allergy drugs, tranquilizers and some heart disease medications.
• If you don't have air conditioning at home, consider visiting a local library, movie theater, shopping mall or other community facility to cool off. To find your nearest public cooling station, visit mo.gov's cooling center directory and enter a ZIP code.