Some of the warmest temperatures of the summer season are happening this week and Greene County Public Health has reminders that certain individuals don’t do as well as others in extreme heat.

Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf says the groups of people that are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, includes infants and children, as well as adults 65 and older, individuals who are overweight, overexert themselves from exercising and people with chronic health issues.

“Those can impact their ability to protect themselves and not have their bodies react as intensely with heat. It’s important that we visit these people at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. And infants and children, of course, we need to be watching them too.” 

Wolf points out a misconception about running electrical fans to stay cool.

“Once your temperature gets up to about 90 degrees outside, the fans are not going to prevent heat-related illness. All it’s doing is circulating the hot air in your house.”   

Wolf advises anyone suffering from the extreme heat to find public places to cool off such as libraries in your communities. The National Weather Service anticipates that through Thursday, temperatures are expected to be within triple digits, with a heat index between 101-108 degrees for west central Iowa.