LA GRANDE — With temperatures in La Grande and the surrounding area expected to reach triple digits this weekend, residents should be aware of important practices and local resources to keep themselves and others safe in the summer heat.

Prolonged exposure to the sun might lead to heat exhaustion, or in the worst case, a heatstroke. Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion are profuse sweating, fatigue and nausea, according to Jared Hulme, primary care provider at Grande Ronde Hospital Regional Medical Clinic.

“As long as you are taking appropriate precautions, it is OK to be outside and active, but the most important things are drinking water and not getting to that point of fatigue,” he said.

Staying cool

According to Hulme, people should avoid staying in direct sunlight longer than their body can handle it, which varies from person to person.

“Look for shade, always carry more water than you think you need. It can help to have a spray bottle so you can have mist in the heat as well,” Hulme said. “It also helps to have a little portable fan, or just some way to keep your body from overheating.”

In addition to keeping cool outside, residents can prepare for the heat by ensuring their air conditioning units are working properly. According to Ryan Scott, owner of Scott’s Heating and Air Conditioning in La Grande, there are several strategies to maximize the efficiency of an AC unit.

“I recommend a preseason service through a licensed HVAC contractor,” he said. “Something that everyone can do at home is to check the air filter in the unit, and either get it cleaned or replaced so that the unit can work as best as possible.”

Scott also recommended setting AC temperatures earlier in the day as opposed to waiting for the temperature to warm up.

“You want to set the temperature early and leave it alone, or else it’ll be much harder to cool down later in the day,” Scott said. “Something else you can do is make sure there’s nothing blocking the unit from the outside.”

According to Pacific Power, thermostats should be set to 78 degrees to avoid a costly electric bill and windows should be opened in the mornings to allow in cool air.

Have a plan

The American Red Cross Northwest Region is urging residents to prepare ahead, as the drought and high temperatures could lead to dangerous wildfire conditions.

“Wildfires are dangerous and can spread quickly, giving you only minutes to evacuate,” said American Red Cross Northwest Region CEO Alex Dieffenbach in a press release. “Help protect your loved ones, get ready now.”

The American Red Cross details several steps residents can follow to stay a step ahead in case of disaster. The organization stressed the importance of creating an evacuation plan, creating emergency kits and staying informed. The Red Cross Emergency app also sends alerts in case of disaster and details shelter locations.

To limit wildfires, the organization recommends caution when using fire or grills, avoiding driving on grass, storing combustible materials safely, creating fire-resistant zones near homes, cleaning roofs and gutters, using outdoor lawn care equipment carefully and clearing driveway entrances in the case of a fire vehicle approaching the home.

In response to the record-breaking forecasts nearing wildfire season, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative — which supplies power to roughly 60,000 residents in Eastern Oregon — is prepared to shut off power lines, if needed, to minimize the potential for wildfire ignition.

“The major factors are going to be high winds, extreme heat and any red flag warnings that are given by the National Weather Service,” Joe Hathaway, communications manager for OTEC, said. “We follow their lead, and the weather is always changing so it’s hard to say if it’s definitely going to happen or not this season.”

OTEC has an early warning system in place to ensure members are notified of any potential outages. Outages could last anywhere from a few hours to several days. To prepare, residents should create supply kits of food, water and medical supplies and ensure any backup generators are ready.

“I want to emphasize that power shut-offs are a last resort option. They aren’t very common, but we want to make sure everyone is aware,” Hathaway said. “Everyone should have a backup plan, and if it really comes to it, make sure they are keeping updated on any evacuation procedures.”

Working safely in heatThe sizzling weather will not be stopping people like Oregon Department of Transportation employees and contractors from working outdoors on hot pavement.The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration is recommending that employers create a heat illness prevention plan, which could include training employees to recognize the signs of heat illness, performing work during the coolest part of the day and providing water and breaks, particularly for those in labor-intensive jobs.

“Employers need to take the threat of heat illness seriously, which means acting sooner — not later — to put the appropriate safeguards in place,” said Penny Wolf-McCormick, statewide health enforcement manager for Oregon OSHA. “And they don’t have to do it alone. Oregon OSHA is ready to help with free expert advice and a variety of educational resources.”

Oregon Department of Transportation Region 5 Safety Coordinators Cam McGinnis is encouraging his agency’s staff and contractors to take a number of precautions to protect themselves from the heat. They include doubling the amount of water or fluids they bring and keeping it nearby.

“Keep some close — having a gallon of water, 2 miles or an hour away does not help you,” McGinnis said in a statement.

McGinnis also encourages employees to take breaks often while working in the heat.

“Breaks give your body a chance to catch up,” he said.

Looking out for the people you are working with in the heat is also important.

“Lead from every position: check to make sure others take breaks,” McGinnis said.

Local resources

The La Grande American Red Cross on Cove Avenue works with schools, churches and community centers around the area in the case of an emergency shelter being required. In the past, they also worked with locations in Union and other cities nearby. According to disaster action team volunteer Heather Stanhope, a number of sheltering agreements are in place in the case of an emergency.

The Red Cross in La Grande operates through the Idaho/Montana Region, which spends efforts year-round preparing emergency services.

“We’re there to meet the most immediate needs, from a power outage to a wildfire,” said Greater Idaho and Montana Communications Director Matt Oschsner.

The La Grande Police Department is also preparing for the rise in temperatures the same way it does every summer: keeping an eye out on welfare checks on elderly residents, heat-related medical injuries and the homeless. According to Lt. Jason Hays, there is usually a lag time before the department sees the effects of rising temperatures in the summer.

“La Grande isn’t a stranger to high heat,” he said.

He also said there has been a slight uptick in reports of unmowed grass in La Grande, which can result in a fire hazard if not dealt with properly.

La Grande typically sees a rise in homelessness during the summer months, so Hays noted there is a rise in calls regarding welfare checks of homeless people. This typically results in the department buying the person a water or taking more serious measures if necessary to ensure their safety.

Other than a slight rise in welfare checks, there is little change in crime trends related to extreme temperatures, Hays said.

Keeping animals safe

Farm animals will also be feeling the impact of the heat wave. According to the Humane Society, animals can be especially vulnerable to heat illness if they are old, overweight or have heart or respiratory disease.

Matt Henneke, co-owner with his wife, Veronica, of Henneke Farm Carriage, La Grande, will be taking a number of steps to protect his animals from the heat, including keeping water troughs filled to capacity and creating muddy areas where animals can roll around to cool off.

Henneke also makes a point of operating his carriage service when it is hot only in the evening to protect the horses who pull it from the heat.

Paul Anderes, a Union County Commissioner who raises farm animals with his wife, Kelly, said farmers should be particularly careful with hogs when it gets hot. They have more trouble dealing with heat because they do not sweat, said Anderes, a retired La Grande High School agricultural sciences teacher and former FFA adviser.

Anderes suggests farmers use a mist system for hogs and a mud wallow to help keep them cool. He also said it is a good idea for farmers to limit the activity of all of their farm animals during a heat wave.

“It is important not to move or push them,” he said.