How to Keep Your Cool During Periods of Extreme Heat

It is extremely important for people to protect themselves and one another as well as their homes and automobiles during period of extreme heat. Extreme heat is the term used to describe a multi-day event when high temperatures and high humidity levels combine to create conditions that are well above averages and generate stresses on our homes and our health. In addition to helping you manage life’s storms, Safety Insurance is here to help you keep your cool during periods of extreme heat.

What to Do When Expecting Extreme Heat

• Identify Your Level of Risk – Extreme heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States and some groups are more at risk than others. According to the CDC, “older adults, the very young, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at highest risk. However, even young and healthy people can be affected if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather.”

• Review Signs of Heat Related Illnesses – During periods of extreme heat, our bodies must work extra hard to maintain normal body temperature. To prevent heat related illnesses from occurring or to know what to do should you develop one, review the signs and symptoms of potential afflictions like heat stroke, heat exhaustion, or heat cramps.

• Keeping the Heat Out – Whether it is covering your windows with curtains or shades, using window reflectors in your car or home to reflect the heat back outside, or adding insulation around your windows or air conditioning unit, there are many actions you can take to keep yourself and your property cool.

• Review Your Emergency Response Plan – Where would you go if your air conditioner broke? What would you do if a family member or pet starts displaying signs and symptoms of a heat related illness? An emergency response plan that includes places that act as cooling centers in your neighborhood and procedures for getting a family member (including those with four legs!) the care they need becomes very important.

Keeping Safe During Extreme Heat

• Keep Hydrated – Drinking water is always good advice, but during periods of extreme heat it becomes critically important. Be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially after periods of activity, and avoid coffee, tea, soda, alcohol, and other beverages that actually increase dehydration.

• Carefully Consider Your Attire and Activities – What you wear and what you do has a measurable impact over how you experience extreme heat. By wearing loose, breathable, and light-colored clothing and forgoing or deferring activities like yard work, using the oven to cook, or exercising, you can mitigate the impact of extreme heat. Also, if you’re feeling hot, take some time to relax or cool down with a cold shower or bath.

• Check In on Your Family, Friends, and Neighbors – Whether it is checking in on an elderly family member of a neighbor with a condition that puts them at high risk for heat related illnesses or your pets, periods of extreme heats are times keep an eye on one another and be on the lookout for the impacts of hazards like hot asphalt.

With your safety in mind, we offer Home Systems Protection Coverage, an enhancement to Safety’s Homeowners Policy, that offers homeowners assistance in the event of a system breakdown. Homeowners depend on the comfort, convenience and security that their home systems and equipment provide. Unfortunately, many homeowners assume they are protected by warranties or service contracts when heating, air conditioning, hot water or electrical systems fail. However, when protection is not provided, a breakdown can come as a costly surprise – several thousand dollars or more.

Additionally, our homeowners insurance policies in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, offer a broad selection of coverage including coverage for losses to your home and its contents from numerous perils, and coverage for liability to others arising from ownership or occupancy of your home. Enhanced coverage is available in each market, please see individual state pages linked above for more details. Additionally, we offer competitive rates, including discounts for being loss free and a discount of 20% if you insure your automobile with us.

Typical home insurance coverage (level HO-3) protects the buildings on your property against certain types of damage and affords you personal liability coverage.

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Please contact your independent agent and they will be happy to answer any questions about coverage. Safety Insurance helps you manage life’s storms both online and in person.