South Lyon Fire Department helps to cool community with splash park
The South Lyon Fire Department hosted a spray park on Thursday afternoon, setting up a fire truck and using its hoses for something other than firefighting.
"[It's] just a way to bring the community out and cool everybody off," said Chief Cindy Conrad.
With Southeast Michigan facing a heat wave on Thursday, Conrad said it's important to stay hydrated.
"Definitely drink lots of water if you feel unwell at any time. Find some shade. Find somewhere to cool off," she said.
In South Lyon, Conrad said the department doesn't get a lot of heat-related calls, but across the county, heat-related deaths and illnesses have increased in the United States. In 2021, there were 1,60,0 and more than 2,300 in 2023.
Dr. Brad Uren, an emergency physician at the University of Michigan Health, said it's important to know the early signs before the heat illness becomes more serious.
"Heat illness is a spectrum of disease," said Uren. "Most of us have experienced the the more mild forms like heat rash. But then you progress into sort of heat exhaustion, and that's the more familiar, a little more dangerous symptoms, where people feel tired, they may just be kind of irritable, lethargic. They might have a headache or feel nauseated."
He said symptoms like confusion are a clear sign that a person needs emergency help.
"It's really important that there's a buddy system, and if you see somebody who's working in the heat and becomes confused, you need to get them to help," Uren said.
He said one of the best ways to stay safe is to plan and move planned activities either into the shade or inside, bring water with you, and stay hydrated."
"People may need to simply avoid the heat and spend the day in the air conditioning," he said.
