SUMMER'S IN SESSION:

How to Beat the Heat with Dr. Casa

Summer is the season we all look forward to — BBQs, beach days, lon hikes or just hanging out with the family on the back deck. But summer heat can be dangerous — even deadly — if you don’t take precautions. To spread awareness for National Heat Safety Month this July, MISSION has partnered with the Korey Stringer Institute at UCONN and heat safety expert Dr. Douglas Casa to dish on the importance of keeping cool and safe in the heat this summer. What activities cause the most heat related illnesses during the summer? New workers starting a 12-hour shift that tends to be physically demanding. Exertional heat illnesses are most likely to occur in the first three days of work. Modifying work-to-rest ratio based on activity and environmental conditions; hydration, and body cooling PPE can help individuals avoid exertional heat illnesses. Can you tell us the benefits of using PPE like Mission Cooling Gear during warm-weather months? MISSION’s cooling products are designed to boost cooling rates by increasing the temperature gradient between your skin and the cooling item. MISSION and the National Heat Safety Coalition have the ultimate goal of improving heat safety in the consumer and industrial settings. These cooling products are a vehicle to get there. A lot of people are choosing to exercise outside since many gyms are still closed. Any tips? Physical inactivity is a huge risk factor for exertional heat stroke. So it’s important for individuals to increase their physical fitness in temperate conditions — prior to exercising in the heat — or gradually increase exercise intensity and time in the heat.