As the warmer weather continues this summer, more people will partake in outdoor activities and there are things to keep in mind when enjoying the outdoors. 

Guthrie County Public Health Director Jotham Arber says one important thing for people to remember when taking part in activities outdoors is to make sure you are drinking plenty of water. 

“We need to be hydrated. Hydration is the key to making sure that we don’t get those heat related issues. We need to make sure that we are wearing light clothing, we need to make sure that we are not out in the extreme heat too long that can cause us to have all kinds of issues.”

Arber tells Raccoon Valley Radio that while it is important to remember to drink water when outside, you should also look for signs of heat exhaustion or dehydration, along with applying sunscreen. 

“When we are doing all of these things, that’s the one thing that sometimes we forget and that sunscreen could go a long way to not only making sure we don’t burn but making sure that anything that comes along with some of those UV burns, like potential skin cancer and other skin irritations, that can help us prevent those things.”

Arber adds that with the upcoming Fourth of July holiday to take special care with the preparation of food to avoid foodborne illnesses.