Dangerously high heat levels can cause problems in your home
With temperatures in Mid-Missouri rising to dangerous levels this week, ABC 17 News is taking a look at how those temperatures can affect your health at home.
Cooling down your home can take a lot of energy and money when the heat index reaches above 100 degrees, as it did Wednesday and will again Thursday and Friday.
I turned off my air conditioner, which was set to 73 degrees at about 8 a.m. Thursday, and by noon, it was already up to 80 degrees inside.
The apartment is on the second floor of a three level complex and backs up to the woods, so there is not a lot of direct sunlight coming into my apartment. However, that didn’t stop the apartment from heating up quickly.
My normal blood pressure, which was just taken last Thursday, is 112/72. The average is 120/80, and today after being out in the heat and coming back to my apartment, it was at 150/90 and my pulse was 90 BMP which assistant fire chief Brad Fraizer said was definitely elevated.
Watch the noon report here:
I came back to my apartment around 4:20 p.m. and the thermostat read 84 degrees. It was stuffy and I didn’t stop sweating from when I came in from the dangerously hot weather.
Fraizer took my blood pressure and pulse again at 5 p.m. and this time it was 150/100, and my pulse was 120 BMP, which is he said was definitely a sign of heat exhaustion. He suggested that we get out of my hot apartment and go to a cooler location.
Watch the 5 p.m. report here:
Fraizer said when the temperature in your space hits 95 degrees, a fan will do more harm than good, “A fan is only going to be blowing hot air on you… your body is working against that heated air.”
He suggested getting to a cool place, staying hydrated, and avoiding alcohol or caffeine if you are without air conditioning during this extended period of heat.
Several cooling centers are open to anyone who needs to beat the heat:
Activity & Recreation Center at 1701 W. Ash St. – 573-874-7700 Armory Sports and Community Center at 701 E. Ash St. – 573-817-5077 Boone County Government Center at 801 E. Walnut St. – 573-886-4305 Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human – Services at 1005 W. Worley St. – 573-874-7355 Columbia Mall at 2300 Bernadette Drive – 573-445-8458 Columbia Public Library at 100 W. Broadway – 573-443-3161 Salvation Army at 1108 W. Ash St. –573-442-3229 Salvation Army Harbor House at 602 N. Ann St. – 573-442-1984 Official shelters provide sleeping accommodations. These locations may or may not include meals. Columbia’s official shelters include:
New Life Evangelistic Center (for men) at 901 Wilkes Blvd. – 573-875-0603 Rainbow House (for children/youth) at 1611 Towne Drive – 573-474-3558 Salvation Army Harbor House at 602 N. Ann St. – 573-442-1984 St. Francis House (for men) at 901 Range Line St. – 573-875-4913 True North (for victims of domestic violence) – 573-875-1370 Welcome Home (for veterans) at 1206 Range Line St. – 573-443-8001 Check back or watch ABC 17 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. for more on how the heat can hurt human health.
