The National Weather Service has announced that they are upgrading the excessive heat watch in our area to an Excessive Heat Warning, starting at noon today until Saturday Evening. The high temperatures, combined with high humidity will send the heat index values this week from 105 to 110 degrees. An Excessive Heat Warning means that a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures and high humidity will occur. Plus, conditions at night will remain warm and muggy, which will provide little chance for relief in the air. This combination will create a dangerous situation for residents for getting heat-related illnesses. Those who live in un-air-conditioned homes or apartments or those who spend long periods of time outside are at risk. Be sure to have your air conditioning on if you have it at your residence. If you don’t have air conditioning, make sure to keep your house or apartment very well ventilated with fans and take some time in an air-conditioned establishment. This needs to be done in order to give yourself a break from the heat. To reduce risk during outside work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA, recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anybody who is suffering from heat-related illnesses should move to a cool and shaded location and drink plenty of fluids. During this heat wave, you should drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors. Relatives and neighbors who live on their own should be checked often, especially if they do not have air conditioning. Heat exhaustion symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cold skin, weakness and headaches. A way to prevent heat exhaustion is by putting on wet clothes, sipping on water or taking a bath or shower. If someone is suffering from a heat stroke or heat exhaustion symptoms, call 9-1-1, immediately. Lastly, make sure you never leave young children or pets left in an unattended vehicle with the vehicle turned off. This is especially true during warm and hot weather, like what we will be having the rest of this week, because car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.