Pennsylvania: Tips to Stay Cool During a Heat Wave
It’s hot out, and it sure doesn’t feel like fall. We can talk about the weather as much as we want and complain about the heat. But, sometimes all the…
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It's hot out, and it sure doesn't feel like fall. We can talk about the weather as much as we want and complain about the heat. But, sometimes all the chatter can make one forget that heat can be dangerous. You really need to stay safe in this weather. Here are some Pennsylvania tips to stay cool during a heat wave, and these tips obviously work for any area, not just the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania: Tips to Stay Cool During a Heat Wave
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "High temperatures kill hundreds of people every year. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet more than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States." So, yes, it's very dangerous. They say that one major thing to do is drink enough water. This is especially true when there is high humidity, since "When the humidity is high, sweat won't evaporate as quickly. This keeps your body from releasing heat as fast as it may need to."
Here are some other tips from the CDC:
- Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as you can. Air-conditioning is the number one way to protect yourself against heat-related illness and death. If your home is not air-conditioned, reduce your risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned and using air conditioning in vehicles. Contact your local health department or locate an air-conditioned shelter in your area.
- Do not rely on a fan as your main cooling device during an extreme heat event.
- Drink more water than usual, and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Check on friends and neighbors and have someone check on you.
- Limit use of the stove and oven—it will make you and your house hotter.
Overall, the CDC says to stay in an air-conditioned indoor spot, drink a lot of fluids, don't do outdoor activities (especially strenuous), take cool showers or baths, don't leave children or pets in vehicles and stay tuned to local news on the weather. Find the full list of ways to stay cool via the CDC here.
Everyone knows of the obvious places where you have to worry about experiencing an earthquake. But sometimes, there are less obvious spots, too. So, do we have any real risk of an earthquake in Pennsylvania?
A new study looks at the locations with the highest potential of earthquakes. A lot of them are in major cities. A few include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Memphis. That's according to government research done by FEMA.
In case you were wondering, earthquakes are costly. That's not to shame the states that have the most earthquakes, of course. Hurricanes are costly, too. So, whether you live in California, where earthquakes are likely, or in other areas across America where hurricanes happen, chances are, your area is taking up funding to cover these disasters. As it turns out, southern California coastal counties and the Bay Area are the most costly when it comes to earthquake damage. "Los Angeles County with $2.68 billion in annualized losses is more than three times greater than the second highest county (Santa Clara, California)," the FEMA report states. "The counties containing the Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, and Memphis metropolitan areas also have relatively high AELs."
Pennsylvania ranks No. 30 and No. 43, respectively, out of the states for the report's "Ranking of States by Annualized Earthquake Loss and Annualized Earthquake Loss Ratios (AELR)." When it comes to Pennsylvania's risk, an interactive map shows the state split between "low" and "very low" risk for an earthquake. The eastern part of the state is in the "low" range.
Find the interactive map via CNN below and see where your area lands. You might be surprised by some of the areas that actually have a fairly high risk for activity. The map was "derived in part from a US Geological Survey study that created earthquake models to help inform municipalities and insurance companies about such hazards," according to CNN.
More on Loss Ratios across the US
While you might think of a handful of cities who are in danger of earthquakes, and those are on the West Coast, there is earthquake activity all around. "Although most economic loss is concentrated along the West Coast, the distribution of relative earthquake risk, as measured by the AELR, is much broader and reinforces the fact that earthquakes are a national problem," FEMA says. "Relatively high earthquake loss ratios are throughout the western and central United States (states within the NMSZ) and in the Charleston, South Carolina, area."
California - Interstate roadsign illustration with the map of California
The Big 55
You've heard of the Big Four, right? In metal music. Anyway, the Big 55 are the cities that experience the most earthquake activity. "Fifty-five metropolitan areas, led by the Los Angeles (including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim) and San Francisco (including San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley) Bay areas, account for 85% of the total AEL," FEMA says.
United States of America, geographic regions
Interactive Map of Earthquake Danger
This is an interactive map of the United States showing each area's risk for earthquakes. You might be surprised by some of the areas that actually have a pretty high risk for activity. Click the link below to go to the interactive map via CNN.
