Webster Parish remains in heat advisory
Will Phillips
Minden Press-Herald
Many citizens of Webster Parish received an alert early Monday morning from the Webster Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness regarding a heat warning that has been issued for the local area.
“High temperatures will continue to approach triple digits with heat index values reaching or exceeding 110 degrees. Expect very limited relief overnight with lows in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees” according to the National Weather Service. This heat warning is expected to last until Tuesday, 7 p.m.
When the National Weather Service issued this warning many local citizens were awoken early in the morning from the notifications being sent to their phones. Brian Williams, the Director of the Webster Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, wanted to ensure citizens that the early morning notification that was sent was a mistake, and they have taken the appropriate actions so that it will not happen again. “From now on citizens will only get tornado warnings at all hours and in the future, there will be no notifications about heat warnings unless manually done,” said Williams.
Nixle, the service the department uses for its emergency notifications, mistakenly had a setting turned on for all hours heat warning notifications. This setting has since been corrected.
Regarding the heat warning itself, “There’s potentially a cold front coming Wednesday that may provide some temporary relief from the heat,” said Gary Chatelain, Meteorologist at the Shreveport National Weather Service.
However, until that relief comes, it’s best to take the proper precautions necessary in order to ensure no one falls prey to heat illness, which has an increased likelihood with temperatures such as these.
“Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, such as a sudden lack of perspiration. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments,” according to the National Weather Service,
“Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heatstroke is an emergency, call 911. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.”