- Drink a lot of fluids, even if you aren't thirsty.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or sugared sodas because they can make fluid leave your body faster.
- Stay indoors if at all possible.
- Go to a mall, movie or friend's or relative's home if your air conditioning goes out. See if there are heat-relief shelters nearby for the night.
- Buy a fan to move air around, even if it's air-conditioned air. But remember, air-conditioning is best above 90 degrees.
- Wear light-colored, loose clothing. Don't over wrap babies; put a shade over them instead.
- If you go out, do it early or after dark.
- Cut down on exercise. Bonanno has shortened his workouts considerably. "It's not even really cool enough in the morning," he says.
- Stay in the shade.
- Move slowly.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Check on elderly neighbors or relatives.
- Give pets plenty of water or bring them inside.
- Tune into weather broadcasts for the latest heat advisory or alert — and heed it!
- Let outside workers take more frequent breaks.
- Wet a paper towel or hankie and drape it on your face when you come inside. Other "hot spots" to place a cool compress for quick cooling include the back of your neck, underarms, and groin area.
- Drink ice-cold drinks; they can cause stomach cramping.
- Leave any living being in a closed car.
- Take salt tablets unless the doctor says so.
- Assume you are immune to heat outside just because you work in a hot environment like a bakery or pizza parlor. The damage can accumulate through the day.
- Fanatically insist on your usual jogging or exercise routine, thinking the danger is not real.
- Skimp on water. If you are outside a lot in even 90 degrees, you can lose a half gallon of water in 10 minutes.