Image description: A construction worker in a safety vest holds a hard hat and blueprint, wiping his forehead, with a building and scaffolding in the background.
With temperatures starting to soar and the sun’s rays at their peak, it’s important to protect your health as you work and play outdoors in Hamilton County, Ohio.
Heat illnesses like heat stroke, heat exhaustion or heat stress can be caused by prolonged exposure to hot temperatures, limited fluids or insufficient dietary salt intake. Anyone can develop a heat illness during the summer heat and its humid weather.
“Summertime can be sneaky,” says Dr. Stephen Feagins, medical director at Hamilton County Public Health. “We’re spending more time outdoors working in the yard, exercising or enjoying recreational activities, but the summer heat can trigger all kinds of illness and emergencies – sometimes even before we realize what’s happening.”
For tips on how to prevent heat illness and enjoy the outdoors safely during high temperatures, download Hamilton County Public Health’s fact sheet about heat illness, and read on for more information.
Prevent heat illness outdoors in the summer heat
- Stay hydrated: Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water – keep the liquids flowing to avoid dehydration. Your body needs water for every function, including regulating your body temperature and aiding digestive operations. Most people should drink 8-13 cups of water during a regular day, but your body will appreciate more during the hot summer months and outdoor activities.
- Take breaks: Every 30 minutes, head inside to a cool area. Sitting in air conditioning, resting near a fan or wrapping an ice pack in a towel and placing it against your body can help bring down your body temperature. If you can’t find indoor shelter, rest in the shade outdoors.
- Wear sunscreen: Your body isn’t able to sweat properly through sunburned skin. Apply a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF liberally to all exposed areas of your body when going outside, and use a higher SPF if you plan to be outdoors when the sun shines intensely between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Reapply every two hours – more often if you’re in the water.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine: An adult beverage or an energy drink may sound refreshing, but alcohol and caffeine actually dehydrate your body quickly in the summer heat, leading to general fatigue, decreased coordination, and possibly even seizures. To lower your health risks, enjoy these drinks in moderation during the summer and alternate them with bottles of water.
- Check on at-risk individuals: Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to four years of age, people 65 years of age and older, people who are overweight, people who are ill or on certain medications, and people without air conditioning. Talk to family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues and encourage them to be safe during high temperatures.
- Treat heat illness immediately: If you feel faint, dizzy or can’t stop sweating, you may be experiencing heat illness and should take action immediately. To neutralize the effects, head to an air-conditioned space and sip water to cool down. In extreme cases, you may need medical care or an ice bath to lower your body’s temperature quickly.
There are additional things to consider in order to prevent heat illness, including learning the warning signs and symptoms plus how to help somebody who’s not feeling well in the summer heat. To find out more, download Hamilton County Public Health’s fact sheet about heat illness.
Published June 10, 2026