VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – As hotter weather settles in for the next several days, lifeguards are working to make sure everyone who is at the beach stays safe.
“For the people coming down here, bring an umbrella, buy an umbrella, rent an umbrella, get the shade out there,” said Tom Gill, Captain of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service.
Those umbrellas can make a big difference in the heat. Friday afternoon, the beach was flooded with umbrellas as people sought refuge from the heat.
“We go into the water and get some sun because that’s the best way to get a bronze, then come back in here when it gets too hot and balance it out.”
Gill believes there will be calls for heat exhaustion on the boardwalk and the beach. “For the lifeguards, the first thing they’re going to do is try to get shade over that victim. Drop their air temperature seven to 10 degrees off the bat.”
To keep from falling victim to the heat, avoiding the peak times is always an option.
“Maybe from 11-2 is a great time to go get lunch in a restaurant so that you’re out of the main part of the heat,” said Gill.
Here are some additional tips from Gill.
- Be by the water for cooler temperature
- Get in the water frequently to cool off your body
- Wear long sleeves to keep the sun off your skin
- Drink plenty of liquids
- Avoid alcohol
