Officials Remind People to Stay Safe in Extreme Heat

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Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — Summer is a little more than a week away, but South Carolinians will need to take steps over the weekend to keep themselves safe in the heat. With temperatures expected to rise to the triple digits over the weekend, officials remind residents to be extra careful. “I’m going to the water park, I’m drinking water, I’m eating ice cream,” said Layla Hill. Several midlands residents flocked to the splash park Friday afternoon to enjoy the sunshine, indulge in some cold italian ice and cool off from the extremely hot temperatures. “Since I’m 6’3, the sprinkles aren’t enough for me, I’m about to go to the pool,” said Danielle Ryans. While a pool may provide relief, if you’re not careful, the weather can be dangerous. Crystal Overmyer from the American Red Cross said excessive heat is responsible for more deaths than all other weather events including floods. “You may not realize just how dangerous hot temperatures can be but if you aren’t taking those into account and taking a few preventative measures to stay safe they can quickly become dangerous,” said Overmyer. To stay safe, officials said it’s important to stay hydrated, don’t drink caffeine or alcohol, use the buddy system when working outside, and don’t leave your kids or pets in the car. “It can quickly reach 120 degrees inside that closed vehicle in just a few minutes,” explained Overmyer. The high temperatures are expected to continue across the midlands into early next week.