HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- As we get into the summer months, Central Virginia is bracing for higher temperatures
Some firefighters are concerned about the dangers this poses, especially for vulnerable residents.
Henrico Fire Battalion Chief Doug Reynolds says his team is preparing for a busy weekend, as temperatures are expected to remain in the upper 80s.
With sporting events taking place across the region, in addition to people flocking to the James River and pools, he says the county is staffing up and prepared to call in backup in case of any emergencies.
"If we have a working fire, we're going to call for more resources, because, you know, you just can't grind through two or three bottles on a fire like you would if it was during the wintertime," he explained.
Reynolds says if you have any preexisting health conditions, you should plan to stay indoors in the air conditioning as much as you can this weekend, and if you are outside, pay attention to symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
"Whether you're an adult or whether you're a kid, there's pretty much three stages," he noted. "It's going to be heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat strokes."
Heat exhaustion can include profusely sweating, as well as muscle cramps, and Reynolds says you want to catch these symptoms at this stage before they turn into heat stroke, where your body loses its ability to sweat, which can often be deadly.
According to the CDC, nearly 10,000 people are hospitalized each year for heat related illnesses.
"It always sounds a little crude when we say it, but if you're not going to the bathroom, if you're not peeing every hour, you're way behind," shared Reynolds.
The average adult needs roughly a gallon of water a day in all kinds of fluids, according to Reynolds, but when temperatures reach the upper 80s and 90s, he says you may need two or three gallons if you’re outdoors.
If you know you or your children are going to be outside for a long period of time this weekend, start pre-hydrating as soon as possible.
"You wish they could just sit there and drink a bottle of water, but they're usually not going to do that," Reynolds noted. "You've got watermelon, you've got grapes, that's a glass of fluid, because they're pretty much just water, get them to have that before they go out. How about some Jello, you know, that's pretty much all fluid."
During the summer months, Reynolds says Henrico Fire tends to see a rise in grill fires, so he wants to remind you to not grill too close to your home because he says if there’s an issue, flames can often spread to vinyl siding and quickly run up your home.
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