Summer Temps Are Here - Here Are 5 Ways To Stay Cool And Safe

There is nothing like summer in El Paso. We don't have to deal with monster storms that spawn tornadoes, we're not close enough to the ocean to need to worry about hurricanes, and if there is an outdoor activity you want to do, chances are the weather will cooperate, I mean we're not called the Sun City for nothing. But summer in El Paso also means 100+ degree temperatures, and even though we are still hovering in the 90s for right now, we will start seeing those triple digits soon enough.

Now is the time to get ready for those temps so you and your family can get safely through the summer heat. Here are a few things experts recommend:

1. Drink plenty of water. Experts say you shouldn’t wait until you’re thirsty, but instead rehydrate often throughout the day.

Pitcher pouring a glass of water — Hans Van IJzendoorn

2. Don’t drink liquids with alcohol or large amounts of sugar. Those will actually dehydrate you.

Hand of bartender pouring a large lager beer in tap — Bogdanhoda

3. Never leave anyone, including pets, in a closed parked vehicle. Even cracking the window will not prevent the interior temperature from soaring and potentially being fatal for those inside the car.

group of five dogs sitting in front of a white background — Zoonar/Erik Lam

4. Try to do outdoor activities like gardening and exercising early in the morning or after the sun has gone down.

Woman Trail Running In the Desert — Robert Reece

5. Use your air-conditioner. People have been found dead in their homes with only fans on. If you need help paying your electric bill during the hot summer months, call the El Paso Electric Company and they can come up with a payment plan for you.

6. If you need a fan, the Extreme Weather Task Force provides fans to the needy. Call 311 and they can help get you one. If you would like to donate a fan, you can drop them off at any El Paso fire station.