Heat wave, no AC.

1. 1

   Block the sun before it is hot

   
   • Blinds and curtains shut by 9am
   • Foil or cardboard on the hottest windows
   • Open everything at night when it drops
2. 2

   Move to the lowest floor

   
   • Heat rises, the ground floor is coolest
   • One room, fewer people per room
   • A basement if you have one
3. 3

   Water, more than you think

   
   • Drink before you are thirsty
   • Skip alcohol and heavy caffeine
   • Pets and plants too
4. 4

   Cool the body, not the room

   
   • Wet cloths on neck, wrists, feet
   • A cool shower or a bowl for feet
   • A spray bottle and a hand fan
5. 5

   Battery fans

   
   • USB fans off a power bank
   • Fans help only below about 95°F
   • Above that, wet skin and fan together
6. 6

   Do not cook indoors

   
   • Cold meals, or cook outside after dark
   • The oven heats the whole house
   • Keep the fridge shut if the power is out
7. 7

   Work and errands early or late

   
   • Before 10am or after 6pm
   • Rest through the afternoon
   • Shade and a hat if you must be out
8. 8

   Know the cooling centers

   
   • Libraries, malls, community centers
   • The county posts the list each heat event
   • Go for the afternoon, come home at night
9. 9

   Check on who lives alone

   
   • Older neighbors and relatives, twice a day
   • Ask if they are drinking water
   • Knock, do not just call
10. 10

    Never a car

    
    • Not for a minute, not with the window cracked
    • Kids and pets die in cars every summer
    • Take them in or stay with them
11. 11

    Know the warning signs

    
    • Heavy sweating, cramps, dizziness: cool down, drink
    • Hot dry skin, confusion, fainting: call 911
    • Heat stroke is an emergency, not a rest
12. 12

    Prepare for the next one

    
    • Window film and blackout curtains
    • A power station for a fan at night
    • Sign up for county heat alerts

Shade, water, the lowest floor, and a daily check on the people who live alone.