Take precautions to handle upcoming heat wave

Emergency room visits increase during hot weather.

Laketown Township is included in an extreme heat watch from Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, to Tuesday evening, June 24.

The heat watch includes Allegan, Ottawa and Kent counties. The watch is expected to be elevated to a warning this weekend.

Laketown Township is also included in an Air Quality Advisory for Saturday, June 21, due to elevated levels of ozone.

For more on the weather, visit https://www.weather.gov/grr/

Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 102 degrees are possible. Heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events.

What to do

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging residents to take steps to protect themselves from risks related to hot weather.

As daily temperatures rise above 80 degrees, emergency room visits for heat-related illness increase, the state agency said in a press release issued today, June 20. This is often more likely early in the summer season as people are not yet used to high temperatures and are not taking the necessary precautions.

To prevent complications from the heat, residents are encouraged to:

  • Drink more fluids and avoid liquids with large amounts of sugar or alcohol.
  • Limit outdoor activities to when it is coolest in the morning and evening.
  • Spend time indoors in air conditioning.
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.
  • Wear sunscreen, as sunburn affects a body’s ability to cool down.
  • Check on elderly neighbors and relatives to determine if they need assistance.

In addition to reaching out to Michigan 211 to locate cooling centers, residents can also spend some time at an air-conditioned store, shopping mall or other public building, according to the press release.

In addition to staying hydrated and out of the sun, residents are reminded to never leave children or pets alone in a car even with windows cracked.

For more details from the state on how to handle the hot weather, visit here.

Heat-related illnesses

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are both forms of heat-related illness. Signs of heat-related illness vary but may include:

Heavy sweating; Muscle cramps; Weakness; Dizziness; Headache; Nausea; Vomiting; Fainting; Extremely high body temperature (above 103°F); and Tiredness.

Heatstroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature and can result in death if not treated promptly. Humidity can make temperatures feel even hotter and further stress the body’s ability to self-regulate. If you suspect someone has heatstroke, call 911 for immediate medical help and try to cool the person down.