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Summer hasn’t officially arrived yet, but that isn’t stopping a potentially record-breaking heat wave from crashing into Maine this week. Large swaths of the country have already been experiencing scorching temperatures with the heat index expected to approach 105 degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of the state.
Wednesday and Thursday have been projected to be especially hot here in Maine, with high temperatures for Bangor in the mid-90s that will likely feel even hotter with the humidity.
The resulting excessive heat warning in effect for some areas in the state should be enough for people across Maine to re-familiarize themselves with best practices and steps to staying safe during extreme heat. Mainers may be more familiar with, and perhaps better equipped to weather, the extreme conditions we frequently see during the winter months, but we should take care to remember that extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths across the country.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme heat kills more than 1,200 people across the country each year.
“Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself,” says the CDC website. “While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs.”
Certain people and circumstances might face higher risk of heat-induced illness, according to the CDC, including children, older adults, people with disabilities and people who work outside. The CDC and other experts have offered a range of tips for people to try to stay cool and stay safe during heat waves. These include staying indoors and in air conditioning when possible, staying hydrated, taking cool showers or baths, using ovens less, preparing for a power outage, wearing loose-fitting clothing, and being on the lookout for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The CDC website has helpful information about these symptoms, and what to do when experiencing them, at https://www.cdc.gov/extreme-heat/signs-symptoms/index.html.
“When you get this sort of heat, any outdoor activities has to be a short duration (preferably) … in the early morning hours,” National Weather Service meteorologist Steven Freitag told the Associated Press recently. “But otherwise, there really shouldn’t be any outdoor activity with physical exertion during the peak of the day.”
In July of 2022, the last time Maine experienced an extreme heat wave, BDN reporter Emily Burnham compiled a helpful list of ways for Mainers to stay safe and comfortable. That included, and still includes, steps such as keeping your house cool, skipping outdoor activities when possible and checking in on loved ones.
In addition to the individual steps that can be taken, communities can and should also take collective action to help neighbors who might be struggling in the heat. As with warming centers during periods of extreme cold, local and state leaders should be working to open cooling centers as a vital resource for people to escape the heat — especially for Mainers who might not have access to air conditioning or other means of staying cool. The Maine Emergency Management Agency website has a list of available cooling centers.
As with other extreme conditions that we face here in Maine, stay safe, stay connected to friends and loved ones, help others when you can, and we’ll weather this together.
