Summer hasn’t even officially begun but this week our area has experienced the first heat wave of the season, bringing to mind the importance of staying cool, protected and hydrated. There are many ways to beat the heat and taking precautions can be the difference between being safe and being sorry while enjoying the outdoor activities that make our part of the world special.

One important thing you can do is plan for all of your outdoor activities to take place either in the morning or late afternoon in order to avoid the sweltering mid-day heat. Stay indoors during the hottest times of the day, between noon and 4 p.m. Take your children to indoor activities whenever possible, like your library’s Summer Reading Program, a cool break in more ways than one, beginning at 1 p.m. each Tuesday in June and July (except July 2nd) at the John F. Rhodes Civic Center. Then visit your library to check out books for the whole family to read during the scorching parts of the day. Your skin will thank you for it later and reading a book will keep you cooler than watching television! Having your television on produces energy and heat making your room that much hotter. Keep the lights off as much as possible and set your computer to sleep when you aren’t using it to conserve energy and reduce heat, as summertime means extra burdens on the power supply.

Remember to drink plenty of water because your body needs water in order to stay cool. Wear a hat and lightweight, light colored clothing to protect and reflect the sun away from your skin. When you do go outside to enjoy the sorts of activities where clothing is spare, like the beach, the pool or playing around the water sprinkler, put on plenty of sunscreen first and make sure to reapply it as needed. Most experts agree that you should probably do it every two hours and pay special attention to your head, neck, shoulders and arms, as these are typically the most exposed areas of the body and most likely to get sunburned.

If you do take a trip to the beach, make sure to take your sunscreen along with you, maybe a beach umbrella and check out the marine forecast to see what the water conditions are before taking that dip. The local television station’s websites have the marine forecast included in their weather section. Colored flags are also prominently displayed at the beach to tell swimmers if it is safe to swim. If conditions are not favorable for swimming, avoid the water because not only will you be risking your life but the lives of those who try to rescue you if something goes wrong. So avoid these dangers of the day with planning, shade and water.

Before and after trips, be sure to maintain the upkeep on your air conditioner in your home and car. Clean or replace your air conditioner filters on a regular basis. This will both save energy and help your unit do the important job of keeping you and yours cool. Close your curtains or blinds during the hottest part of the day. Run those ceiling fans to maximize the cool by circulating air and have them set to turn in a counter clockwise rotation to blow the cool air down on you giving you more of a wind chill effect. You can use portable fans to do the same sort of cycling.

Also, keep an eye on your elderly family, friends and neighbors. Check to see if they are following the same precautions as you and your family. Remember, as with extreme cold in winter, the elderly and very young are most vulnerable to health complications related to over-heating. Be a good neighbor and help make everyone’s summer a safe, enjoyable experience to remember.

Lastly, during these terribly hot days it is also important to keep another family member cool and hydrated – your pets! It’s easy to forget but important to make sure they have plenty of water to drink. Check daily. And never, ever leave them in the car even if just for a couple of minutes while you run an errand. A car can heat to well over 100 degrees in no time at all.

With a little thoughtfulness we should all enjoy our summer together. So hit the beach, check out your library and have a great time with friends and family, but remember to be smart and stay alert to the dangers of too much heat. Because an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure, though in this case, maybe that should be an ounce of sunscreen and lots of water. Have fun!

Joanna Bailey is the director of the Bay Minette Public Library. She can be reached at baileyvolumes@gmail.com