{"id":18874,"date":"2026-09-08T18:27:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/?p=18874"},"modified":"2026-09-08T18:27:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:27:57","slug":"tt-heat-advisory-stay-hydrated-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/trinidad-news\/weather-1\/tt-heat-advisory-stay-hydrated-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"T&amp;T Heat Advisory: How to Stay Hydrated and Safe in the Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a scorcher this week. A local weather station recorded a high of 35.9\u00b0C, and on the same day the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) put the heat index- how hot it actually feels once humidity is factored in- at 36\u00b0C for Piarco and 35\u00b0C for Crown Point. TTMS also flagged a moderate concentration of Saharan dust in the atmosphere that day, so anyone with asthma or other respiratory sensitivities should take extra care whenever the haze returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conditions like these raise the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, particularly for outdoor workers, older adults, young children, and anyone with a chronic health condition. Here\u2019s a practical, source-backed guide to staying safe and hydrated until things cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hydration: don\u2019t wait until you\u2019re thirsty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is clear on this: drink more water than usual, and don\u2019t wait until you feel thirsty to start. Thirst lags behind actual fluid loss, so by the time you notice it, you\u2019re already a step behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Carry water and sip regularly throughout the day, not just at mealtimes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cut back on alcohol and very sugary or caffeinated drinks; they can make dehydration worse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you\u2019re sweating heavily or working outdoors, top up electrolytes too (a pinch of salt, an oral rehydration sachet, or an electrolyte drink), not just plain water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Watch the very young and the elderly. They\u2019re less able to sense and respond to rising body temperature, so they need reminders to drink.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Know the difference: heat exhaustion vs heat stroke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), heat-related illness moves through stages, and knowing which stage you\u2019re in changes what you should do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heat exhaustion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Signs:<\/strong> heavy sweating, cool or clammy skin, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and a fast but weak pulse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What to do:<\/strong> move to a cool or air-conditioned space, loosen tight clothing, apply cool wet cloths (or take a cool bath), and sip water. Get medical help if the person vomits, symptoms get worse, or they don\u2019t improve within an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heat stroke (medical emergency)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Signs:<\/strong> body temperature above 39.4\u00b0C (103\u00b0F), confusion, slurred speech, throbbing headache, and possible loss of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What to do:<\/strong> call for emergency medical help immediately. Move the person to a cooler space and start cooling them (cool cloths, a cool bath) while waiting for help to arrive. Do not give fluids to someone who is confused or unconscious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">General heat safety tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Limit strenuous outdoor activity to early morning or evening, and avoid the midday peak (roughly 11 AM to 3 PM) where possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and a hat if you\u2019re out in the sun.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never leave children, older adults, or pets alone in a parked vehicle, even briefly. Vehicle interiors heat up fast, and this can be fatal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check in on elderly neighbours, relatives, or anyone who lives alone, especially if they don\u2019t have a fan or air conditioning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the Saharan dust haze is bothering you, keep windows closed during the day and limit prolonged outdoor exertion, particularly if you have asthma or another respiratory condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you work outside, take breaks in the shade or indoors, and pace physical tasks rather than pushing through the heat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stay cool, stay hydrated, and look out for each other, T&amp;T. Heat like this isn\u2019t a one-off, so it\u2019s worth keeping these steps in mind for the rest of the dry season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (metoffice.gov.tt); US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <\/em>\u201c<em>Protect Yourself From the Dangers of Extreme Heat<\/em>\u201d<em>; US National Weather Service, <\/em>\u201c<em>Heat Cramps, Exhaustion, Stroke<\/em>\u201d<em> (weather.gov\/safety\/heat-illness).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Temperatures topped 35\u00b0C in Trinidad and Tobago this week. Here&#8217;s how to stay hydrated, spot heat exhaustion early, and keep your family safe in the heat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1070,1075],"tags":[1605,1038,1604,1257,1037],"class_list":["post-18874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather-1","category-public-info","tag-health","tag-heat","tag-hydration","tag-safety","tag-weather"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinigo.com\/trinidad-tobago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}