LONGVIEW (KYTX) -- The National Weather Service has declared a heat advisory for parts of East Texas. With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees today, East Texas families are feeling the heat. CBS 19's Abby Broyles reports from Ingram Pool in Longview tonight.
It's 104 degrees at Ingram Park Tuesday night, and several families are soaking up the last hour the pool is open. With months of this kind of heat ahead of us, the best thing you can do for your family is be prepared before you head outside..
Carla Lindner has been a swim instructor for more than 20 years. She knows firsthand the dangers of working in the sun..
"I did have melanoma a few years ago, I do wear lots and lots of sunscreen, I reapply every hour if I've been in the water, at least every couple hours if I haven't been in the water," Lindner said.
You need sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply it.
The SPF number indicates how many minutes it shields your skin from the sun.
Skin protection is an important lesson Carla's teaching these young swimmers at parkway fitness center in Longview.
"They've made a lot of progress in swim wear, you'll notice these kids look like they have t-shirts on, but really they're swim shirts," Lindner says, "they're made specially for being in the water so they don't interfere with their stroke like a regular t-shirt."
The lifeguards here work in four hour shifts, taking frequent breaks.
"Just sitting in a [lifeguard] chair takes the energy out of you more than you think," Bradley Hart said.
Caffeine and alcoholic drinks will dehydrate you. Avoid them as much as possible.
Whether you're inside all day or outside, doctors say in this kind of heat, everyone needs to be drinking more water, as much as 2 of these liter bottles a day.
And when you are out in the heat, be sure to keep an eye on your family.. Heat exhaustion can happen quickly.. The most common signs are dizziness, fatigue and headache.. Also, muscle cramps, nausea and rapid heartbeat.
The key is to be prepared as the summer heat keeps climbing..
For dehydration - water may not be enough - you may try pedialyte or one of these sports drinks with added electrolytes. Those will help you get re-hydrated quickly.
