WHITE PLAINS GETS AND ICE CREAM SHOPPE AGAIN
With temperatures are expected to reach 95 degrees today and hover close to 100 degrees on Friday afternoon, the Westchester County Health Department is issuing a heat advisory. As humidity and temperatures rise, residents should avoid strenuous activity, drink lots of water, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and take precautions to prevent heat-related illness.
“Pace yourself — don’t overdo it in the heat,” said County Executive George Latimer. “If you spend a lot of time outdoors, take breaks in an air-conditioned place and drink lots of water. And during a heat wave, remember to always check in on your elderly or ailing neighbors.”
Sherlita Amler, MD, Westchester County Commissioner of Health, said people who are most vulnerable to adverse effects from the heat include the very young, seniors, people who are obese and those with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or lung conditions.
“By now we should all know what to do, but heat stroke and dehydration can take you by surprise,” Amler said. “High humidity, chronic health conditions and some medications can also increase a person’s risk for heat stroke.”
Heat stroke is a serious and life-threatening condition that claims many lives nationwide each year. Symptoms include hot red, dry skin, shallow breathing, a rapid, weak pulse and confusion. Anyone suffering from heat stroke needs to receive emergency medical treatment immediately. Call 911 if you suspect heat stroke and immediately cool the overheated person while waiting for emergency help to arrive.
Amler reminded residents never to leave children, pets or people in a car. Temperatures can quickly rise to unsafe levels, so motorists should always look before they lock their vehicles.
“To avoid tragedy, it’s also vital to never leave infants, children, seniors or pets in a closed car no matter how brief the time,” Amler said. “Closed vehicles can quickly heat up to a life-threatening 140º F or more.”
Another concern during a heat wave is heat exhaustion. Seniors, young children, people who are overweight or who have high blood pressure, people who work outside or in other hot environments are most at risk. Frequent breaks and drinking lots of water can help prevent heat exhaustion. Signs include headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness and exhaustion, as well as cool, moist, pale or flushed skin. Anyone suffering from heat exhaustion should move out of the sun and apply cool, wet cloths to their skin.
“During a heat wave, seniors, young children and people with compromised immunity especially should avoid vigorous outdoor activity, seek the shade, spend time in air-conditioned locations and drink lots of water throughout the day,” Amler said. “Especially when they’re swimming and playing in the water, children often forget to drink, so parents and caregivers should prompt children to take breaks to hydrate.”
Those who plan to travel by car should prepare their vehicle before hitting the road. Always travel with a spare battery, and avoid leading radios, phone chargers and other accessories running when the engine is not.
Check to make sure your air conditioning is properly functioning and coolant is at the proper level. If you plan to travel in less populated areas, bring water and an umbrella for shade if it becomes necessary to leave the car. Always keep air flowing throughout the vehicle, and try to park in the shade.
For tips to prevent heat-related illness and places to stay cool, residents can visit the Health Department website at www.westchestergov.com/health.
Residents who need a place to cool off can go to an indoor mall. Senior centers, libraries and community centers often serve as cooling centers, but call before you go.
Elevated heat and humidity can also lead to unhealthy levels of ozone, a gas produced by the action of sunlight on organic air contaminants from auto exhaust and other sources. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forecasts daily ozone conditions at (http://www.dec.ny.gov), or call the New York State Air Quality Hotline at 1-800-535-1345.
The County’s Department of Emergency Services is monitoring the weather forecast, tracking the opening of local Cooling Centers and is in contact with Con Edison and NYSEG concerning the potential for power outages.
For tips to prevent heat-related illness and places to stay cool, residents can visit the Health Department website at www.westchestergov.com/health.
WPCNR COUNTY-CLARION LEDGER. From Benjamin Boykin, Chairman of Board of Legislators. July 15, 2021:
Improvements to County parks from Montrose to Mount Vernon; investments in roads, transportation, Westchester Community College and waste management infrastructure; strengthening government ethics; police reform; and increasing transparency in the co-op market — these are just a few of the Board of Legislators’ achievements in the first half of 2021, outlined in Board Chair Ben Boykin’s 2021 Mid-Year Report released this week.
“After being at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are bouncing back,” Boykin said. There is important work to be done in the coming months as we continue our recovery. The decisions we make will shape Westchester for generations. It is our responsibility to ensure that our values guide our choices. We must build Westchester’s renewal on the pillars of fairness, equity, sustainability, fiscal responsibility, openness and transparency. In the first half of 2021, that work has already begun.”
The report details actions by the Board during the first half of 2021 to:
· Approve an ambitious police reimagining plan for Westchester
· Dramatically strengthen the ethics rules for County government
· Increase transparency in co-op sales
· Approve a hard-fought, negotiated legal settlement that will allow Playland to operate with greater County oversight
· Invest tens of millions of dollars in improvements to County parks
· Authorize the acquisition of new hybrid electric buses to make our mass transit system cleaner
· Rehabilitate miles of County-owned roads
· Modernize our wastewater treatment and sewer systems
· Invest in housing for seniors and others who live and work in our County
· Upgrade the infrastructure at Westchester Community College
· Expand tax relief for our veterans
· Support the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank to finance the development of 21st century infrastructure
Boykin said, “I would like to thank County Executive George Latimer and his staff for their creative, dedicated and steadfast leadership for the past four years, and especially during the COVID-19 crisis. I’d also like to thank Board leadership – Vice Chair Alfreda Williams, Majority Leader MaryJane Shimsky, Majority Whip Christopher Johnson, and Minority Leader Margaret Cunzio – and all our County Legislators.
This Board has been able to achieve all it has because of their dedication to serving the people of this County, supported by the outstanding public service of the Board’s tireless staff during the past 15 difficult months. Working together, this County government has risen to the occasion to keep the residents of Westchester safe, to buoy the County’s financial health, and to provide for the people of Westchester at a time when government services have never been more essential.”
Read the report at: https://westchesterlegislators.com/images/pdf/2021Mid-YearReport.pdf