This heat can kill

Okay, maybe we are beating a dead horse bringing this up again in yet another post, but we are very concerned about this weekend’s expected heat and the effect it can have on folks not ready for it.

This is the first real heat wave we have had in a while, and now is the time to start planning your weekend. For those of you that are looking forward to the Wood River City-wide garage sales or the Buffalo County Fair this weekend, you need to remember the tips we have given you for heat safety in previous blog posts.

Saturday's heat index could be between 100 and 105 degrees. Sunday and Monday could feel as hot as 110 in some places around the state! Western Iowa will be no diffeent. While we may hear of a few smaller storms out near Scottsbluff, there will be little to no relief from the heat except what you give yourself.This is serious business. Government data show that there have been more than 8,000 heat-related deaths in the U.S. in the 24-year period ending in 2003. Recent studies have shown that most heat-related deaths can be prevented with a little planning and some self-care.

As for our responders and firefighters out there, please be careful! This weekend’s weather and dry air will give life to grass fires and that could mean countless hours outside in your fire gear!

To all of our readers, please be mindful of your campfires, cigarettes, cigars and burn barrels. One small fire could threaten the lives of several firefighters in heat like this.

Please remember to check on the elderly this weekend. Heat like this is incredibly dangerous to those with pre-existing heart conditions and puts many at risk for heat exhaustion and even stroke.

Heat exhaustion can be a very real threat to even the healthiest of our readers. Please do not wait too long to recognize the symptoms and watch your children closely if you must be out in the heat. The signs of heat exhaustion include rapid heartbeat, cold clammy skin, nausea, dizziness, weakness and fatigue.

Heat Safety Tips

Yep! you can fry an egg on the sidewalk! You can also really get burned sitting on the hood of one of our chase vehicles! It's just plain ole' HOT!

With temps expected to make life nearly unbearable this week, we thought we would pass along some tips to keep you safe and perhaps a bit more comfortable in the heat.

First, when the temperature hits 100ºF and the kids start complaining and whining, tell them it is only 38ºC. While this means the same thing, it sounds much cooler!

Remember to sleep in air conditioning or a cool room in the evening. High nighttime temps can prevent your body from cooling down after a day in the heat and can actually stress your body out causing heat-related illnesses.

Stay in the shade or indoors. The sun is at its worst between 11 am and 3 pm so try to find shade. If you can and you have the ime, find a body of water like a lake to spend some time during these hours; the air around water is usually several degrees cooler.

Use sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses.

Increase your fluid intake. It is recommended that you drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, but you should attempt to drink even more, especially if you are active in the heat.

Make sure you have sufficient airflow in your home. Here’s a trick we learned several years ago as we traveled in a vehicle with no air that can work in your home: take a roaster pan of ice and place a fan in front of it blowing toward you…instant air conditioning! While you cannot do this all day, it is a nice relief if you are home-bound without air. Use fans, ceiling fans and open windows that allow for a cross-breeze if you do not have air.

Make sure you check in on the elderly. Remind them to drink fluids, check on their pets for them, and make sure that they have adequate airflow if they do not have air.

Watch your kids! They need plenty of fluids and most kids will not know when they are getting overheated, so check on them if they are outside playing for long periods of time. The water parks are jumping this week and if you go, bring plenty of sunscreen!

Try not to over-exert yourself.

Hot weather speeds up the effects of alcohol. Sure there are some of you thinking this might be great, but alcohol will enhance dehydration. If you have to drink, change it up on and off with fruit juice and water.

Stay safe, stay cool and watch KHAS TV for updates on the heat and any warnings issued.

Summer Heat

The video shoot went great and you can all watch for the new chase team promos during the upcoming Olympic coverage! John and Travis joined us for the shoot, and as expected, Ben was uncomfortable the entire night in a polo shirt! Oh, the cost of fame...

Coming soon will be our page on the KHAS TV website that will include new team pics, bios and more!

The weather has given us a break lately with nothing but high heat to deal with- you would think that would be pretty uneventful, but the heat took out two of the chase vehicles this past week as they overheated and had to go in for repairs! Our chase vehicles are a bit older, and if you drive an older car or truck you should be aware of the high temperatures more than other folks. Vehicle maintenance is as important this time of year as it is in the dead of winter. Make sure you keep your fluids checked and tire pressure correct. A small breakdown can put you out in dangerous summer heat for quite a while.

No matter what shape your vehicle is in, make sure you keep bottled water in your car along with a hat and sunscreen.

Well, there's today's update and disaster preparedness tidbit!

Find some air conditioning and stay cool.

PROMO SHOOT TODAY!

Well, tonight the team has to get cleaned up a little; Ben has to wear a pair of shoes without holes where the toes are are and I think we will actually get him a shirt with a collar. Tonight we shoot the commercial stuff for KHAS which means that soon and very soon you will get to see our smiling faces on television on a regular basis.
The chase vehicles are clean, or at least as clean as they get, and we are looking forward to spending the evening with our KHAS family, hanging at the station, eating pizza, taking pictures, shooting video and probably arguing about something.
The weather is hot again, and there is no real relief coming this way this week, so make sure that you take care of your pets- make sure that they have plenty of water and shade. you know, you may just be running into town for a few things and figure you'll be back soon, but what if you get delayed? Take care of that dog now by just going out in the yard and filling that bowl one more time before you leave.
As for the kids, watch them closely today, and unless they are absolutely driving you nuts, this may be a good week to let them play indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
And last, don't neglect yourself: drink plenty of fluids, and I don't mean coffee. Drink water, keep yourself hydrated, and if you start to feel sick or chilled momentarily, stop and get inside.
As for the team...we'll keep an eye on the weather for you. Have a good day!

UPDATE

Last night's event was great and hopefully everyone got a lot out of the presentation! We have already received several emails from folks that attended and the response has been awesome! Marilyn did a great job and the crowd was extremely receptive. We were especially glad to see Brian Woldt in attendance- Brian is the Dawson County Emergency Manager in Dawson County, Nebraska.

OUR TELEVISION COMMERCIALS SHOULD BEGIN RUNNING NEXT WEEK, SO FOR ALL YOU FANS OUT THERE...START WATCHING!

Hurricane Dolly made landfall and we were sad that we could not be there to welcome her, but I believe we get another chance as it looks like another system off Africa with the week...

July 22nd

On Tuesday, July 22nd, Chasing4Life will be presenting a special program on Home Disaster Preparedness in Lexington, Nebraska. If you would like to attend, email us at info@chasing4life.org.

Cruise Night

Literally thousands mobbed the streets of Kearney, Nebraska yesterday and your favorite chase team was right there all day. The heat was absolutely unbearable but that did not seem to slow down the steady flow of autograph seekers around the chase vehicles. John Walsh hooked up with us and spent the afternoon and evening with the team as the cruising started. We found out that John has a few loves other than weather: fast motorcycles, fast cars and 4x4's!

All in all, it was a good day and we enjoyed seeing our fans and making new friends. We want to thank TCBY in Kearney for the fantastic spot they gave us to display the chase vehicles!

Today we will treat the sunburn...

Come see us!

It is time for Kearney's Cruise Night and you can come and meet the Chase Team during the day tomorrow, Saturday July 19th. From the parade to our spot in front of Bob's Super Store, you may have to chase us down but you can grab an autographed pic and sit in the chase vehicles! We'll all be there- Eddy, Ben, Brennan, Jen, Cathy, Brandi and John.

We look forward to meeting you all!

Greetings

Greetings.

A long time coming, we have finally moved our blog outside our website. Here you will hear from the team; victories and struggles, fights and love affairs. Here we will share what we see, what we feel and what we dream.

We look forward to this new venture...enjoy getting to know us!

The C4L Team