Be prepared for severe weather and its impacts during any season in Bellingham.
Extreme Heat
Heat waves are life threatening and can occur rapidly. People without adequate air conditioning and those with pre-existing health conditions are more vulnerable to the impacts of heat. In Bellingham, it is estimated that less than half of businesses and homes have air conditioning.
In the heat dome of 2021, Washington experienced multiple days of temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. From June 26th to July 2nd there were 100 fatalities in Washington from heat-related causes. While this event was unprecedented in modern times, it reinforced the importance of being prepared and knowing what to do in such circumstances.
What to do
Take measures to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off. The main things affecting your body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are:
• High humidity. 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.
• Personal factors. Age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use all can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather.
Heat-related illnesses can develop suddenly and put peoples’ lives in danger. The best way to minimize heat risk is to:
- Stay in a cool place
- Stay hydrated
- Monitor your symptoms for heat-related illnesses
Heat related illnesses can vary from general discomfort to life-threatening situations. Knowing the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke is critical. If you notice an overheated person displaying symptoms such as throbbing headaches, lack of sweat, hot and dry skin, nausea, confusion, dizziness or unconsciousness, please call 911.
Tips to Stay Cool
Cool Your Body
-Dress in loose, light and light-colored clothing. Natural materials such as 100 percent cotton and linen allow your skin to breathe more than synthetic fabrics do.
-Eat lighter cold foods such as salads, low-fat dairy or frozen treats. And contrary to what one might expect, spicy foods can end up cooling you down because they make you sweat.
-Don’t use your oven or stove, but if you must cook, grill outside or choose the microwave or toaster so your house stays cooler. Drink a lot of water, and avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you. Keep bottles of water in the freezer, so when the ice melts, you’ll have ice-cold water on hand.
-Exercise in the early morning or in the evening when it’s cooler, and stay in the shade. If you can’t, shorten your workout time and/or reduce your exertion.
-Cool your skin. Take cool baths or showers.
-Get damp and stay in front of a fan. If you cool the pulse points where blood vessels are close to the skin—wrists, neck, elbows, ankles, behind the knees, feet, inner thighs, temple, forehead and groin—your body will cool more quickly. You can chill washcloths in the refrigerator or use an ice pack on pulse points when you’re hot.
-Keep a spray bottle in the refrigerator to give yourself a cool spritz. Store body lotion in the refrigerator too, so that it cools you off when you apply it. Pour a little ice water into a hat before you put it on. Keep a hand-held fan with you when you go out.
-Sleep cool. Use cotton, linen, percale or bamboo bedsheets. Consider misting your sheets or pajamas or putting them into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before going to bed. Put a hot water bottle or a sock filled with rice in the freezer to create an ice pack you can take to bed or use to cool your sheets. Fill a pillow with buckwheat, which does not absorb heat and stays cooler.
Cool Your Space
-Use fans strategically. Set them up in windows or halls to get a cross breeze going. Place a bowl of ice at an angle in front of a fan so that air blows across it to create a cool breeze.
-If you have a ceiling fan with two directions, make sure it is running counterclockwise at high speed to push cool air down. Use exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen to pull hot air out of your space. Place a box fan in the window, but have it face outside to pull hot air out of your room.
-Manage your windows for heat. Keep your blinds or curtains closed during the day, especially if they face south or west. If the night or early morning is cool, open the window but close it as the day gets hotter. Hang a wet sheet in front of an open window to create a cool breeze.
-Unplug gadgets and small appliances when you are not using them, as they generate heat even when turned off.
-Don’t run your washer, dryer or dishwasher on hot days.
-Replace your incandescent bulbs, which waste 90 percent of their energy as heat, with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or LEDs. Use lights as little as possible because all light bulbs, even CFLs, emit heat.
Cool Your House
-Install a house fan in the ceiling of the upper level of the house to suck hot air from the house and send it outside through a vent, allowing cool air (if it is cooler!) from outside into the house. Or invest in a ceiling fan to circulate the air.
-Make sure your attic and roof area are properly insulated to keep heat from coming in. Caulking and weatherstripping windows also help keep heat out. Blackout or heat-blocking curtains can naturally insulate a room.
-Install shutters or external blinds to shut out the sun.
-Awnings can reduce cooling energy use by 26 percent in hot climates and 33 percent in temperate climates.
-Paint your exterior walls light colors to reflect rather than absorb heat
-Light colored roof shingles and reflective paint or tiles reflect sunlight and absorb less heat than traditional roofs, keeping the roof cooler in hot temperatures.
Severe Storms
During the fall and winter, be prepared for power outages from wind, ice and snowstorms. These storms may cut off power and heat for days and put vulnerable people at risk. It is important to be prepared by staying informed of conditions, having extra supplies, and having an emergency plan.
What to do
During a severe storm:
- Limit your time outside
- Wear warm clothing
- Stay off the roads if possible
- If stuck in your car, stay inside
- Monitor yourself and others for symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia
Symptoms of Frostbite and Hypothermia
Where To Get Support
Whatcom Homeless Service Center and the Lighthouse Mission Ministries provide additional resources for emergency sheltering in times of need.
Opportunity Council home energy assistance programs: https://www.oppco.org/basic-needs/home-energy/
WA Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/low-income-home-energy-assistance
