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Turn on the air conditioning to cool the air! This may seem obvious, but people often try to save money by using fans instead of air conditioning. However, fans only move the air around – they do not cool it. When temperatures rise above 95 degrees, fans can actually heat a room by circulating the hot air.
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Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine. (Good, old ice water is always the best!)
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Spend as little time as possible in the sun.
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Keep your activity level to a minimum.
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Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room.
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Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
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Eat light, easily-digested foods, avoiding hot, heavy, or greasy meals.
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Do not leave food unrefrigerated – food spoils rapidly in the heat, and the hotter it becomes, the faster it will spoil.
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Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly – especially young children and the elderly. Check on your neighbors and relatives – especially if they are vulnerable or do not have air conditioning. Again, remember that older people cannot always sense the heat as well as younger people, and, therefore, may not be as aware of the danger.
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Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.
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Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening!
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If you find yourself unable to keep your residence cool and need to find a cooling center, please call the United Way of Greater Saint Louis by dialing 211 from your home landline phone, or by dialing 1-800-427-4626 from any other type of phone. Click here for a complete PDF 
list of area cooling centers.
Saint Louis County is also making several of its facilities available as cooling centers:
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Kennedy Recreation Complex; 6050 Wells Road; Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Noon – 6:00 p.m. (pool will be open 4th of July from noon – 6:00 p.m.)
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North Central Community Health Center; 4000 Jennings Station Road; Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed 4th of July)
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Queeny/Greensfelder Recreation Complex; 550 Wiedman Road and 1675 South Mason Road; Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (closed 4th of July)
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St. Vincent Park; 7335 St. Charles Rock Road; Tuesday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Monday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 6:00 p.m. (pool will be open 4th of July from noon – 6:00 p.m.)
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South County Health Center; 4580 South Lindbergh Boulevard; Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed 4th of July)
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For more information about local efforts to assist people during periods of extreme heat, please visit:
Operation Weather Survival
For more information about local watches, warnings or advisories, please visit:
National Weather Service (for Missouri)
For more general information about the dangers of heat and common safety tips for handling periods of extreme heat, please visit the CDC’s website:
Heat Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention