Grundy County opens cooling center

     With immense heat on the way, the Grundy County Health Department wants to remind residents the Grundy County Administration building, 1320 Union St., Morris, is a designated cooling center during regular business.
    The county building is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and  & Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Free transportation to the administration building will be offered through the Grundy Transit Service (GTS).  If you need a ride to the county’s administration building, please call GTS dispatch at 1-888-786-0862 and they will schedule your free ride as soon as possible.      Return rides will be scheduled between 4 and 5 p.m.  These rides will be offered the remainder of this week or as long as the cooling center remains open.
The administration building offers a vending machine, tables and chairs located in the cafeteria of the facility with restrooms located just down the hall.          All visitors must sign in and out as needed, keep their area clean and adhere to building rules.
      For questions call the health department at 815-941-3404.

A health alert is being shared for extreme heat as the next several days are expected to be in the 90's with high humidity's with heat indexes reaching over 100.

    People most vulnerable for heat-related illness include the elderly, those who work or exercise outdoors, infants and children, the homeless or poor, and people with a chronic medical conditions. Never leave anyone, including pets, alone in a closed, parked vehicle.  The air temperature rises rapidly during hot weather and can lead to brain damage or death.

Residents are encouraged to avoid outdoor activity during the afternoon hours, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, drink plenty of fluids and check on relatives and neighbors.

Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.  Telltale signs of heat stroke include the following:
• An extremely high body temperature, like 103 degrees or above
•  Dizziness and nausea
• A throbbing headache and a pulse that is rapid and strong
• Skin that is red, hot and dry.

Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids.
Its symptoms can include:
•  Heavy sweating
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness, fatigue and dizziness
• Headache, nausea and vomiting
• Fainting
• Breathing that is fast and shallow
• Skin that feels cool and moist
• A pulse that is fast

If you must be outside during the heat, wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing and drink plenty of water. Residents are also reminded to never leave young children or pets in a vehicle.  

    For more information about extreme heat, visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.html