N

o, your thermometer has not been lying to you, it really has been hitting those uncomfortably high temperatures without relenting – but you don’t need to read that to know it’s true. For the past few days, the oppressive heat has been like a blanket that envelops everything.

With great luck, the place we call home is naturally built to beat the heat with the Delaware River in our backyard, not to mention the many public pools and lakes that are like magnets to many seeking refuge from these scorching days. When it comes to cooling off, we have it the best, but that doesn’t stop the source. 

That means that no matter what outside recreational activity you partake in or how you spend your time during the day, it is vitally important to keep up water intake to fight off dehydration and wear sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays (no one likes a sunburn.)

This is also a good time to remind yourself of the dangers of a hot car, and to never leave a child or pet unattended in a vehicle for extended periods of time. No living thing is designed to thrive in conditions like that, and it is of the utmost importance to remain vigilant for these scenarios when the weather is this brutal. Heat can be deadly, even outside of a locked car. Check up on your loved ones, especially seniors, as the summer goes on! 

The heat brings on increased health risks and it is always better to be cautious than not. 

With all of this in mind, be sure to enjoy these few days regardless of where the gauge sits on the thermometer. We are rapidly approaching the middle of July, and soon will be the beginning of August. For our youth, summer vacation is nearly halfway over! You only get one summer a year, be sure to make this one last.