As you are aware, we are expecting temperatures in the high 80s to high 90s this Friday through next Tuesday. We are taking the following steps to provide some options for relief for our students at the College who reside in non-air-conditioned spaces in light of the impending heat.
1. We will open up the Common Room for sleeping on Sat, Sun, Mon, and Tues nights for the Skemp Hall residents and female residents in Heffron Hall (2nd floor).
2. We will open up the lounge in the Heights for sleeping on the same nights for St. Joe’s Hall residents and Heffron Hall men (3rd floor).
3. We suggest that the students in Heffron Hall see if they could room with a friend in one of the air-conditioned halls for those nights.
4.We are keeping the Fitzgerald Library lounge and all the spaces in the basement of Toner Student Center open all night Friday through Tuesday.
5. We encourage Skemp, St. Joe’s and Heffron Hall residents to rest and relax in Fitzgerald Library lounge, the game room, or the other spaces in the basement of the Toner Student Center during the day and the evenings Friday through Tuesday.
6. We are renting industrial fans (like the ones used in the gym) and placing them in Skemp Hall and possibly, St. Joe’s Hall.
We encourage all students to do the following:
- Drink plenty of water Friday through Tuesday. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, keep on drinking.
- Wear sunscreen when outside.
- Avoid caffeinated beverages. Instead of hydrating you, caffeine will actually end up dehydrating you.
- Towel off your face and neck with a wet towel or rag for instant relief.
- If you begin to feel faint or nauseated, get inside and take a cool shower.
Watch for heat exhaustion. Symptoms: Excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, weakness, dizziness, fainting, headache, and nausea can all indicate heat exhaustion. Other individuals may experience muscle cramps, fatigue, or confusion.
Treatment: Quickly get the affected individual to a cooler area. Have them lie down and apply a damp cloth to their forehead and face. Remove any restricting clothing. If there is a fan, turn it on. The individual should drink small sips of cool water.
Watch for heatstroke. Symptoms: Like with heat exhaustion, individuals experiencing a heatstroke may experience headaches, nausea, and a rapid heartbeat. They may also experience confusion, seizures, agitation, or rapid breathing, or become flushed. If an individual’s temperature reaches 104° F or higher, seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Treatment: Call 9-1-1 and take immediate action to cool down the affected person. Get them indoors or into a shaded area, take off any restrictive clothing (compression shorts, tight jeans, etc.), and cool them down with water, ice packs, fans, wet towels, a hose, or anything else that is readily available. If you are using ice packs, ice cubes, or cold and wet towels to cool down someone who you suspect is suffering from heatstroke, apply the cooling mechanism to their neck, armpits, and groin for fastest relief.
Let’s be safe out there!
