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With summer now in full swing and triple-digit temperatures imminent again in the Tri-Valley and surrounding areas, local health officials have provided tips to help residents endure the heat.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the Tri-Valley could reach up to 104 degrees this weekend, leading to the agency issuing an extreme heat watch in Pleasanton, Livermore, Danville, Dublin and San Ramon this Friday through Sunday (July 14-16).
Residents are urged to stay indoors if possible and adhere to heat safety guidelines.
To combat anticipated heat-related illnesses, the Alameda County Public Health Department has issued an emergency preparedness and heat event guide detailing cooling strategies and warning signs of exhaustion and stroke.
“The changing climate will make extreme heat waves more common in Alameda County,” county officials said in the guide. “High temperatures can feel even hotter when living in an urban environment. Heat waves can be dangerous (and) a very high body temperature can affect the brain and other vital organs.”
The county added that certain groups may be more vulnerable to the extreme weather due to preexisting health conditions.
“Some health conditions, like dehydration, obesity and heart disease, can make it harder for the body to stay cool in hot weather,” county officials said.
The most important aspect in a heat wave is to stay hydrated, even if you don’t feel thirsty. The health department also encourages residents to avoid drinking alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks as they can often increase dehydration.
Closing curtains and avoiding cooking during the hottest hours of the day can help keep houses cool.
With the two biggest heat-related illnesses being exhaustion and stroke, the health department encourages residents to learn the symptoms of each.
Main warning signs of heat exhaustion are headache, dizziness and tiredness. While heat exhaustion is less severe than heat stroke, the health department emphasizes it is still a serious condition. If heat exhaustion occurs, immediately move to a cooler place, hydrate and rest.
Heat stroke, when severe, can be life-threatening. Main warning signs are nausea, fast pulse and loss of consciousness. If a heat stroke is suspected, the health department urges individuals to call 911.
More information from Alameda County on heat and health can be found at acphd.org/phep/heat-and-health/.
Ahead of the high temperatures, PG&E has also shared safety tips for its users.
“Weather can get extremely hot and quickly go from fun to dangerous. Extreme heat can be life threatening,” the utility company said. They encourage the use of a buddy system, saying this can help keep vulnerable populations safe. “During a heat wave, have someone, such as a family member, friend or a local volunteer, check in on elderly or frail people. Check-in with your co-workers if you work outside.”
Many government agencies warn that heat waves will continue to get longer and more extreme in the coming years. The state of California has recently announced a new heat preparedness program known as “Heat Ready CA” to inform residents about this phenomenon.
The program adds $20 million in funds to educate and prepare Californians for what the state calls “the deadliest form of climate-driven extreme weather.”
“The impacts of climate change have never been more clear — the hots continue to get hotter in our state and across the West putting millions of Californians at risk,” Gov. Gavin Newsom after announcing the launch of Heat Ready CA this Tuesday.
“We’re asking everyone to stay alert to changing weather and take the necessary steps to keep themselves and their families safer from deadly heat waves,” Newsom added.
In the announcement, the Governor’s Office explained how extreme heat will continue to impact residents in the future.
“Scientists project that all of California will be impacted in the years and decades to come by higher average temperatures and more frequent and life-threatening heat waves, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable communities,” state officials said.
To find more updates and weather forecasts from the National Weather Service, visit www.weather.gov.
“”The impacts of climate change have never been more clear — the hots continue to get hotter in our state and across the West putting millions of Californians at risk,” Gov. Gavin Newsom after announcing the launch of Heat Ready CA this Tuesday.”
The impacts (and risks) of Newsom and his party have never been clearer. Thanks to misguided/shortsighted policies to get rid of fossil fuels and “save the planet”, we no longer have a reliable supply of energy in this state to keep people cooler during the summer months. It’s only going to get worse. Look forward to more lectures about conservation and/or not running appliances/charging vehicles during peak hours as the “solution”.
Some of us already knew that you can’t supply the energy needs of the state (or the nation) with solar panels and windmills.
Power Outage Lasted 18 Hours.
August 2022, power in my neighborhood went out, AGAIN. It was out for 18 hours, it was Saturday. That did it for me. First thing Monday morning I was on the phone calling natural gas generator contactors’ and calling solar contractors.
The natural gas generator contractor was stuck on whether I could afford the generator and the cost to install. He did not have an interest in my questions. He was telling me that I needed around $15K to install a natural gas generator. I was annoyed with his ‘can I afford it dialog’.
I called, spoke with a couple of solar contractors, one said he would email information to me. The next solar contractor was very accommodating, we talked thirty minutes, during which I learned a lot. He followed up with a design and cost for my home to install solar panels with whole house battery backup.
The cost was approximately $27K. it took eight weeks to get the permits. First week in November my solar system with whole house battery backup was installed, in full operation.
Early 2023 the government allowed me 30% tax rebate for installing the solar system for our home in 2022. For the first time in in more than 20 years, we received an income tax refund in May 2023. I have not been inconvenienced with another power outage since August 2022. There have been several in the neighborhood.
In June 2023 My solar system produced 651.2 KWh. We consumed 235.8 KWh.
We imported from the grid 30.7 KWh. We exported to the grid 400.5 KWh.
Our CO2 reduction was 1.042 LBS. our grid dependance was 13%, our minimum grid dependence was 4% June 19.
Our year-to-date production is 3MWh.