Excessive Heat Warning in Effect for West Central Missouri

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning through Saturday night for West Central Missouri with the ongoing high temperatures.  At this time there appears to be no rain in the forecast for the next week, but temperatures are expected to feel like it is between 100 and 105 and sometimes up to 115 in the next few days.

Sedalia/Pettis County EMA Director David Clippert reminded the public to be careful if you are working out doors and check on your neighbors, especially if they are elderly.  Here are some of the tips he gave in a statement today.

• "Heat related injuries/fatalities tend to increase with age, where a young person could be struck with heat cramps an elderly person could be faced with heat stroke," Clippert said. "Heat also has a cumulative affect on the body. When we are faced with many days in a row where temperatures will be this high, it is important to break that cumulative affect by getting into air conditioning and taking a break for a few hours."

• "Drink plenty of water and don’t forget that when we sweat excessively we also lose salt, and you must replace that salt.  There are many sports drinks on the market that are not excessively high in  sugar, but can replace those necessary salts we sweat out."

• "Many public buildings are open during the day where you can go to cool down, and we urge you to take advantage of those. The Salvation Army located at 1200 E Broadway is open daily from 8-4 and serves lunch from 12 to 1 Monday through Friday. The  Ditzfeld Center located at 417 W Pettis is also available from 8 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday with an evening meal served from 5 to 6 p.m."

Amy Epple from Sedalia Parks and Rec announced that the Liberty Park Pool will be open extra today from 1-10 p.m.  She said that with the high temperatures lately that attendance at the pools have been surprisingly down in the last few days, partially because people tend to stay at home during the peak times at pools.

Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond said in a statement earlier in the week that his department is already seeing an increase in heat related calls for ambulance crews in the area, so please be careful.