SALT LAKE CITY — Many people are heading out to pools, parks or reservoirs for some fun in the sun, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
That includes Elaina Alvarado and her family, who drove from Eagle Mountain on Monday to enjoy some time at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City.
"Just wear sunscreen and drink a lot of water, try to stay in more shady areas," Alvarado advised others who are spending time outside.
Also at Liberty Park Monday afternoon were Riley Vance and Vanessa Rogan.
Vance and Rogan are both Salt Lake City park rangers, who put their feet to the pavement, interacting with park patrons and visitors.
"About 100 people or so, we try to do a lap in the morning, a lap midday and a lap in the evening," said Rogan.
They walked through the park, looking for any hazards, safety issues or people in need of help as the temperatures hit triple digits.
"We'll definitely take it upon ourselves to check in on those visitors and see how we can assist in helping find a cooling station," said Vance.
With the heat comes the worry of heat-related illnesses.
Dr. Tom Nelson with Intermountain Healthcare spoke with FOX 13 News about what symptoms you should be on the lookout for.
"Things like dizziness, lightheadedness that can progress to nausea, feeling really unwell — that's when you get into heat exhaustion, and if you exert too far, you can actually get into a very worrisome medical emergency called heat stroke," he said.
Nelson said preventive measures become important during the heat.
He said that includes staying out of the direct sunlight, finding some shade, and not exerting yourself too much during the daylight hours.
Nelson also recommends staying hydrated and that if you do get hot, you spray yourself off with water or use a fan — anything to help keep your body temperature down.
With 18 rangers based out of four main parks in Salt Lake City, both Vance and Rogan were making sure everyone could enjoy the heat safely.
"We're always just there to help and spread information and educate about how we can safely use our parks and make sure everybody feels welcome and included and safe," said Vance.
That includes those like Alvarado and her family.
"We have a water fan that we keep for the baby and just water bottles that we keep in the car," said Alvarado.
Nelson told FOX 13 News that there are two types of heat stroke: exertional and non-exertional.
He says exertional heat stroke happens when someone is out in the heat, working too hard and not taking enough rest or drinking enough water. Nelson says that can prove to be fatal.
Nonexertional, Nelson says, usually affects the elderly or pediatric population. An example of that would be someone in a house without air conditioning who is a little older or a child who is in a car that is turned off.
