DECATUR - The ubiquitous sight of sweaty bangs plastered against foreheads and the sound of legs painfully peeling themselves from leather car seats tell us one thing: it's hot.

With temperatures rising into the mid-90s, staying safe on those sweltering summer days is a priority for everyone. Local health and safety experts offer some tips on how those spending time outdoors can minimize their chances of succumbing to heat-related medical conditions.

The easiest way to prevent illness is limiting time spent outside and planning ahead when one needs to be out in warm weather, said Bill Wood, coordinator of emergency medical services at St. Mary's Hospital.

People who want to spend time outside should avoid the hottest hours of the day, which occur between noon and 4 p.m., and go out in the morning or evening, he said.

"Those are the best times to be outside unless you're one of those who want to be a crispy critter and be out during the heat of the day," Wood said.

A second level of protection is sheltering one's body from the sun using shade, sunscreen and protective clothing such as light, long-sleeve shirts and hats and sunglasses to prevent burning and irritation around the face and eyes.

"Light-complected people will burn quicker and easier," Wood said. "We have seen second-degree burns where they actually blister up because of a good sunburn."

A slight breeze also can help people cool down. For houses or apartments without air conditioning, have as many fans going as possible to keep air blowing throughout the day, said Jennifer Hendricks, director of health and safety for the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross.

"If there's no breeze outside, then it becomes more dangerous to be outside during the hottest part," Wood said. "You need a little bit of a breeze to help cool you down through convection. As the breeze crosses the skin, it helps to cool the body."

Keeping hydrated is a crucial way to avoid summertime maladies.

"I can't express enough about how much water you should drink," Wood said.

People can tell if they are hydrated if they are using the restroom regularly and continue to have moisture leave their bodies in the form of sweat and tears, Hendricks said. Babies with diapers that are consistently dry could be succumbing to the heat.

"Everybody, in some respect, is all the same, because if you don't keep yourself hydrated, you're going to be in deep trouble," she said.

Hendricks and Wood recommended that people drink lots of liquids, especially room-temperature water. Ice-cold beverages can cause headaches, nausea and weakness by cooling off the body too quickly. Take alcohol in moderation, they cautioned, especially at all-day outdoor fairs and events.

Food, too, can contribute to the body's inability to handle high temperatures, Wood said.

"The last thing you want to do is go chow down at a buffet and then go outside in the heat," he said.

Avoid greasy and spicy foods, and opt for a series of small meals throughout the day instead. Water-rich fruits and vegetables can contribute to hydration.

"Again, it's moderation, pacing yourself and knowing what you can and can't do," he said.

A person's susceptibility to high temperatures also can depend on his or her usual daily activities. Someone who works outside might tolerate the heat better than someone who works in an office all day, Wood said.

"Last year, we had Farm Progress, and we treated quite a few people that were heat-related - people that were coming out to the farm show that were not outside as much exposed to the heat, being on their feet as long," he said.

Especially vulnerable, he warned, are children and older people.

"We have a tendency to put our kids in strollers and put them outside and think that if we can stay tough in the weather, they're going to be OK," he said. "But their skin, the younger they are, the more delicate it is, and they need to be protected as well."

Too much sun exposure in the elderly can cause more dangerous conditions than sunburn and heat-related dehydration, as some of their inner body protections diminish with age, Wood said.

"It could actually push a person into some heart problems and respiratory problems," he said.

Hendricks and Wood encouraged people to be aware of signs that someone is suffering adverse effects of the heat. Early signs of heat-related illness include fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, red, hot skin and becoming nauseated. This stage, commonly called heat exhaustion, can progress into a stage of muscle cramping - heat cramps, Wood said.

"When you stop sweating, you're into what's known as heat stroke, and that's because your body cannot produce any moisture at this point," he said. "And you're in a critical situation. You're cooking organs in your body, you're frying the brain, and you need emergency medical attention to that."

At the early stages, people should try to get inside where it is cool, start taking room temperature liquids and loosen or remove any restrictive clothing, Wood said. When in doubt, the experts said, seek medical attention. In extreme cases, heat stroke can result in death.

For information on the Keep Cool Illinois campaign, which provides information on cooling centers across the state and offers tips on how to stay cool, call the hotline at 1-877-411-9276 or visit www.keepcool.illinois.gov.

Annie Getsinger can be reached at agetsinger@herald-review.com or 421-6968.