Simple Back-to-School Tips to Keep Kids Safe During Extreme Heat 讓孩子們在酷暑中保證安全的簡單返校建議

Back to school is approaching and as families gather essentials for the new school year, heat preparedness must remain top of mind. Ensuring the safety of our children during extreme heat events is critical to their well-being and educational success. It is crucial that we all—parents, caregivers, and educators—work together to accomplish this task.

Children are one of the groups at greatest risk of heat illness, including kids with disabilities or those with chronic health conditions like asthma or diabetes, so it is important to take extra precautions to protect them during extreme heat. California’s Heat Ready CA campaign encourages California residents to be proactive in safeguarding children from the effects of rising temperatures and raises awareness about the dangers of extreme heat, especially within heat-vulnerable communities like our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

“It is critically important to protect our children and prioritize their health and safety during extreme heat. Their bodies are more affected by high temperatures and by taking precautions to protect them, we can prevent heat-related issues from happening,” said Dr. Marie Thao-Ceballos, Family Nurse Practitioner at Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento. “By following the five simple tips provided by Heat Ready CA, parents and caregivers can protect their children and let them begin the new school year worry-free.”

Heat Ready CA is demonstrating its dedication to promoting community health and safety by sharing tips for parents and guardians to implement and help protect children during extreme heat as they return to school.

1. Apply Sunscreen and Drink Water: Shield children’s skin from harmful UV rays and prevent heat rashes and sunburns by applying sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Encourage children to stay hydrated, and not wait until they’re thirsty. Water is best. Kids should avoid consuming beverages with caffeine or high amounts of sugar to prevent becoming further dehydrated.

2. Dress for the Heat: Keep kids cool and comfortable by dressing them in light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting, and breathable clothes. Children do not sweat like adults do, reducing their ability to cool down on their own. Teachers and yard duties can help by paying special attention to their students’ faces and body language.

3. Limit Outdoor Activities: Consider talking to your child’s teacher about minimizing outdoor activities and encourage kids to play indoors or in shaded areas during extreme heat, especially since temperatures are hottest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Children will need frequent breaks to rest and cool off throughout the day.

4. Educate Kids on Heat Safety: Teach children how to spot symptoms of heat illness and encourage them to seek help. If they or their friends experience heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting or dizziness, get help immediately.

5. Plan Errands with Children in Mind: Never leave children alone in a parked car for any reason. Even a“quick” errand is too long and can have deadly consequences! Temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open or when temperatures feel milder outside.

As we gear up for the new school year, let’s confidently handle hot weather and shield our children from the worst effects of extreme heat by remembering and applying these tips. We can create a nurturing and protective environment for our children by proactively educating them about the dangers of extreme heat and teaching them how to stay safer. For more information about heat safety for vulnerable populations and resources, or to create an extreme heat plan, go to HeatReadyCA.com.

About Heat Ready CA

Heat Ready CA is a multi-ethnic public education campaign led by the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications. It aims to educate Californians about the potential dangers of extreme heat, how to stay safer and what to do if they suspect they are experiencing heat illness. The campaign engages media, meteorologists, and influencers, collaborating with trusted, community-based organizations and statewide partners to reach vulnerable populations. With agency partners including the California Office of Emergency Services, CalEPA, and the California Department of Public Health, Heat Ready CA is part of the state’s comprehensive commitment to ensuring Californians’ safety during the summer and supporting at-risk communities during extreme heat events. For more tips and resources, please visit HeatReadyCA.com or CuidateDelCalorCA.com.

加利福尼亞州，沙加緬度—— 開學季即將來臨，在各個家庭為新學年準備必需品之時，必須要始終把應對炎熱天氣的舉措放在首位。在酷暑天氣中保證孩子的安全對他們的健康和教育成功都至關重要。我們所有人 ——父母、看護者和教育工作者 —— 都共同努力來完成這一任務是很重要的。

兒童是最容易患熱病的群體之一，其中就包括殘疾兒童或患有哮喘、糖尿病等慢性病的孩子。因此在酷暑之時，採取額外的預防措施來保護他們是至關重要的。加利福尼亞的「加州高溫防備」宣傳活動鼓勵加州居民們主動採取措施來為兒童預防氣溫升高導致的危害，並且提高居民們對酷暑危險的認識 —— 特別是在像我們亞裔美國人及太平洋島民（AAPI）社區這樣容易受到高溫危害的社區之中。

「在酷暑天氣中，保護我們的孩子並優先考慮他們的健康和安全是至關重要的。他們的身體更容易受到高溫的影響。通過採取措施來保護他們，我們就可以避免熱相關問題的發生。」沙加緬度Kaiser Permanente的家庭護理師Marie Thao-Ceballos博士說，「通過遵循『加州高溫防備』提供的五個簡單建議，父母和看護者們可以保護自己的孩子，並讓他們無憂無慮地開始新的學年。」

通過為家長和監護人提供返校時應遵循的建議和幫助保護孩子的措施，「加州高溫防備」充分展示了其致力於促進社區健康與安全的決心。

1. 使用防曬霜並飲水：用SPF值為15或更高的防曬霜來為孩子的皮膚預防有害紫外線並預防熱疹及曬傷。鼓勵孩子充分飲水，不要等到口渴了才喝水。白水是最好的選擇。孩子應避免飲用含咖啡因或高糖的飲料，以防止進一步脫水。

1. 天熱要正確穿衣：讓孩子穿著淺色、輕便、寬鬆和透氣的衣服以保持涼爽舒適。孩子的排汗機制不如成人，所以降溫能力也較差。老師和值勤人員可以通過特別關注學生的面部和肢體語言來提供幫助。

1. 減少室外活動：考慮與您孩子的老師溝通，以在酷暑天氣中的減少戶外活動，並鼓勵孩子在室內或陰涼地方玩耍 ——特別是因為氣溫在上午10點至下午4點之間最高。孩子需要在一天中頻繁地歇一歇，以休息和降溫。

1. 對孩子進行熱安全教育：教導孩子如何識別熱病的症狀，並鼓勵他們尋求幫助。如果他們自己或朋友出現大量流汗、肌肉抽筋、虛弱、頭痛、頭暈、噁心、嘔吐或眩暈等症狀，應立即尋求幫助。

1. 計畫差事時要考慮孩子：無論是什麼原因，都不要將孩子單獨留在停泊的車內。即使是「快速」的差事時間也太長，也可能導致嚴重後果！就算車窗微開，或甚至在室外溫度較為溫和時，車內溫度在10分鐘內也可能會上升近20度。

當我們為新學年做準備時，讓我們自信地應對炎熱天氣，並通過牢記和應用這些建議來為我們的孩子預防酷暑可能造成的最嚴重影響。通過主動對他們進行有關酷暑危害的教育及教導他們如何更安全地避暑，我們可以為孩子創造一個利於成長的安全環境。獲取更多有關如何保證易受高溫傷害人群安全的訊息和資源，或指定酷暑應對計畫，請訪問HeatReadyCA.com。

關於「加州高溫防備」

「加州高溫防備（Heat Ready CA）」是由加利福尼亞州長辦公室社區合作夥伴關係和戰略傳播部領導的多種族公共教育宣傳活動。該活動旨在向加利福尼亞居民普及酷暑可能帶來的危險、如何更安全地避暑以及如果懷疑自己出現熱病時應該怎麼做。該活動通過媒體、氣象學家和影響者參與，與值得信賴的社區組織和州內合作夥伴相互配合，以向易受傷害的人群進行宣傳。通過與加利福尼亞緊急服務辦公室、加州環境保護局以及加利福尼亞公共衛生部等機構進行合作，「加州高溫防備」是加利福尼亞州全面承諾在夏季確保加州居民安全以及在酷暑中扶持高風險社區的一部分。獲取更多建議及資源，請訪問HeatReadyCA.com或CuidateDelCalorCA.com。