Summer in Georgia is a time for camping trips, cookouts, and afternoons by the pool. However, it’s also a time to be aware of the dangers soaring temperatures can bring. Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S, claiming more than 650 lives across the nation each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Follow these tips from Gwinnett County Emergency Management and Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Georgia to beat the heat this summer:

• Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles, even for a minute.
• Fluids are lost through perspiration, so it’s important to stay well hydrated. Drink plenty of water, even when you’re not thirsty.
• Stay indoors in air-conditioned spaces as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun.
• Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
• Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. Drink two to four cups of water every hour when you are working outside.
• Check on elderly neighbors and family and friends who do not have air conditioning.
• Make sure pets have plenty of water and shade, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot.
• Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion symptoms are heavy sweating, fatigue, muscle cramps, confusion, cold, pale and clammy skin, a weak rapid pulse, and possible fainting and vomiting. Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency that occurs when the body temperature reaches 106 degrees or higher. Symptoms include hot dry skin, rapid and strong pulse, and possible unconsciousness. Summon immediate emergency medical assistance.
• Insulate your home by installing weather stripping around your doors and window sills to keep the cool air inside.
• Closely monitor your local radio station, TV station, or NOAA Weather Radio or download the Ready Georgia app for the latest information on excessive heat watches and warnings.

For more tips on how to safe in the summer heat, visit www.gwinnettsafety411.com or www.ready.ga.gov.