Local public health and emergency officials are reminding people to take care as extreme heat and humidity sets in across much of New Hampshire Thursday.
The National Weather Service has declared a heat advisory from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m., for much of the state. In most places, highs are in the low to mid-90s today, according to its forecasts.
“Stay hydrated; you need to drink a lot more than you think,” said Emily Martuscello, Nashua’s director of emergency management. “You need to get inside, get into some air conditioning. As best you can, stay someplace cool. Try to avoid being out during the core hours of the day.”
She also urged people to look out for others who may be more vulnerable to heat, including children and older adults.
“The number one thing is check on your friends, family and neighbors and your pets,” she said.
Dr. Alan Flanigan is the medical director of Catholic Medical Center’s emergency department. He said the Manchester hospital tends to see more people with dehydration and other heat-related conditions on days like this.
“The ones that are the most vulnerable are the extremes of age — your elderly and your kids — who really can't take care of themselves or sometimes don't have the wherewithal to be able to do so,” he said. “And so it's really dependent upon others to look out for other people within the community.”
He said the heat can also exacerbate chronic medical conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
For people who work outside or otherwise have to be out in the heat, Flanigan advised staying hydrated, taking frequent breaks and spending as much time as possible in the shade.
Some communities are taking additional steps to help people beat the heat.
Nashua is offering free bus rides Thursday to public cooling centers at the public library, the YMCA, Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, Pheasant Lane Mall and New Fellowship Baptist church.
The city also dispatched community health workers to get the word out in multiple languages, and worked with local organizations to reach vulnerable groups like homebound seniors and the unhoused.
Manchester says it will have medical personnel standing by at this evening’s Independence Day celebration at Arms Park to deal with any heat-related emergencies that arise.
Martuscello said the immediate goal is making sure everyone is staying safe in the heat. But Nashua is also planning for a future that will have more very hot days due to climate change. That means making sure people have equitable access to air conditioning, water and other services that are essential to staying healthy in the heat.
“We're looking strategically at what is the long-term outlook for extreme heat in Nashua and New England in general,” she said. “And it's trending up. We're going to have more extreme heat days.”
Highs across New Hampshire are expected to hover around 90 degrees Friday, before dropping into the mid to low 80s Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
