SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Health Department issued a health alert following an excessive heat warning.

The National Weather Service placed an excessive heat advisory throughout Santa Barbara County from 10 am on Thursday, Jul. 20 to 10 am on Friday, Jul. 21.

Excessive heat watch in Santa Ynez Valley, Cuyama, and surrounding areas will stay in effect from Friday at 10 am until Saturday at 9 pm

Santa Barbara County Public Health Department urges communities to take safety precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Precautions include:

• Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or be able to react
  accordingly – especially the elderly, young children, and pets. Check on your
  neighbors
• Wear appropriate clothing. Lightweight, light-colored, loose fitting clothing
  works best
• Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beveragesespecially those without sugar
  or caffeine. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. If you have fluid restrictions
  from your doctor, ask to see how much you should drink while the weather is hot
• Outdoor activity limits. Try to schedule outdoor activities during the cooler parts
  of the day, like morning and evening hours. Be sure to wear sunscreen and rest
  often
• Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room. A few hours in
  air conditioning can help your body stay cooler. Taking a cool shower or bath can
  help too
• If you do not have air-conditioning, consider arranging to spend at least parts of
  the day at another space that is cool. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when
  the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness
• For those who work outsidebe sure to take frequent rest breaks in a shaded
  area or air-conditioned room, if possible. Stay hydrated and take action by
  moving to a cooler space if you feel signs of heat exhaustion
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or
  sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately
• Know the signs of heatstroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat
  exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot,
  flushed skin. With heatstroke, the person often stops sweating and the skin will
  be unusually dry. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat strokes
  is life threatening!
• Do not leave children (and pets) unattended in vehicles. It only takes a
  matter of minutes on a relatively mild day for a vehicle to reach fatal
  temperatures

For more information on how to stay cool with the excessive heat, visit the County of Santa Barbara website.