Source: FamilyDoctor.org
Check on elderly family and neighbors and follow these guidelines:

What causes heat exhaustion and heatstroke?
Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, occur when your body can't keep itself cool. As the air temperature rises, your body stays cool when your sweat evaporates. On hot, humid days, the evaporation of sweat is slowed by the increased moisture in the air. When sweating isn't enough to cool your body, your body temperature rises, and you may become ill.

What is heat exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion happens when your body gets too hot. It can be caused by physical exercise or hot weather. You may experience:

• Heavy sweating
• Feeling weak and/or confused
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Fast heartbeat
• Dark-colored urine, which indicates dehydration

What should I do if I think I have heat exhaustion?
If you think you have heat exhaustion, get out of the heat quickly. Rest in a building that has air-conditioning. If you can't get inside, find a cool, shady place. Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Do NOT drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks (such as soda). These can make heat exhaustion worse. Take a cool shower or bath, or apply cool water to your skin. Take off any tight or unnecessary clothing.

If you do not feel better within 30 minutes, you should contact your doctor. If heat exhaustion is not treated, it can progress to heatstroke.

What is heatstroke?
Heatstroke is when the internal temperature of the body reaches 104°F. It can happen when your body gets too hot during strenuous exercise or when exposed to very hot temperatures, or it can happen after heat exhaustion isn't properly treated. Heatstroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. Heatstroke can cause damage to your organs and brain. In extreme cases, it can kill you.

Symptoms of heatstroke

• High fever (104°F or higher)
• Severe headache
• Dizziness and feeling light-headed
• A flushed or red appearance to the skin
• Lack of sweating
• Muscle weakness or cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast breathing
• Feeling confused, anxious or disoriented
• Seizures

What should I do if I think someone has heatstroke?
If you think someone might have heatstroke, call emergency medical personnel immediately. While you are waiting for medical assistance, take the person into an air-conditioned building or a cool, shady place. Remove the person's unnecessary clothing to help cool him or her down. Try to fan air over the person while wetting the skin with water. You can also apply ice packs to the person's armpits, groin, neck and back. These areas contain a lot of blood vessels close the surface of the skin. Cooling them with ice packs can help the person cool down.

Get medical help right away if you have these warning signs:

• Skin that feels hot and dry, but not sweaty
• Confusion or loss of consciousness
• Frequent vomiting
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

Do medicines affect heatstroke?
The following are some medicines that can put you in danger of heatstroke because they affect the way your body reacts to heat:

• Allergy medicines (antihistamines)
• Some blood pressure and heart medicines (beta-blockers and vasoconstrictors)
• Diet pills and illegal drugs such as cocaine (amphetamines)
• Laxatives
• Some medicines that treat mental health conditions (antidepressants and antipsychotics)
• Seizure medicines (anticonvulsants)
• Water pills (diuretics)

Tell your doctor what medicines you are taking. He or she can tell you if your medicine puts you in danger of heatstroke.

What does the "heat index" mean?
The heat index tells you how hot it feels outside in the shade. It is not the same as the outside temperature. The heat index is a measurement of how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined with the effects of the air temperature. When you are standing in full sunshine, the heat index value is even higher. A heat index of 90°F or higher is dangerous.

How can I prevent heat illness?
When the heat index is high, stay indoors in air-conditioned areas when possible. If you must go outside, take the following precautions:

• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat or using an umbrella.
• Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more.
• Drink plenty of water before starting an outdoor activity. Drink extra water all day. Keep in mind that heat-related illnesses are not only caused by high temperatures and a loss of fluids, but also a lack of salt in the body. Some sports drinks can help replenish the salt in your body lost through sweating.
• Drink fewer beverages that contain caffeine (such as tea, coffee and soda) or alcohol.
• Schedule vigorous outdoor activities for cooler times of the day -- before 10:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m.
• During an outdoor activity, take frequent breaks. Drink water or other fluids every 15 to 20 minutes, even if you don't feel thirsty. If you have clear, pale urine, you are probably drinking enough fluids. Dark-colored urine is an indication that you're dehydrated.
• If you have a chronic medical problem, ask your doctor about how to deal with the heat, about drinking extra fluids and about your medicines.

What should I do after having heat exhaustion or heatstroke?

Having heat exhaustion or heatstroke makes you more sensitive to hot conditions for about a week afterwards. Be especially careful not to exercise too hard, and avoid hot weather. Your doctor can tell you when it is safe to return to your normal activities.

CRIME TRENDS
Source: Torrance Police Department

There has been a rise in thefts of third row seats from Cadillac and Chevy SUV’s. Thieves will break into a vehicle, unlatch the mechanism that secures the third row seats, and remove the seats from the vehicle. The thieves will then sell the seats for profit.

Ways to prevent thieves from taking your third row seat:

• Use a bike cable or gun cable lock to lock the seat to the floor of the SUV. Using a cable lock will make your third row seat less desirable to the thief.
• Check with your Chevrolet dealership, some sell an anti-theft device through the parts department. 

• If you do not use your seat take it out and store it at your residence.

• Engrave your seat with some type of identification number such as your California Driver’s License number as these seats are not serialized. There are other products on the market that will help locate your property.  If your seat is taken please notify the responding officers that you have marked your property.  

Third row seat thefts are occurring on the street, in driveways of homes and in busy parking lots. If you believe someone is removing a third row seat from a vehicle call the police right away.

**PHONE SCAM ALERT** Be advised!

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been advised that citizens are receiving phone calls from individuals who are representing themselves as Department employees.  The caller usually tells the citizen that there has been a warrant issued for their arrest for failure to appear for Jury Duty.  The caller will tell the victim that they have to pay a sum of money or deputies will come and arrest them.  The caller will instruct the victim to either get a Money Order, conduct a wire transfer, or buy a Gift Card (usually Green Dot) and send it to “pay the fine.”

BE ALERT, BE ADVISED, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or any Government Agency will NEVER call and solicit money for fines.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does not solicit warrant information by phone. The Sheriff’s Department or any Government Agency will NEVER ask you to get a Money Order, Gift Card, or wire transfer.  Sheriff Department personnel will never go to your home to collect a fee for a warrant.

BE AWARE, NEVER give your personal information to anyone over the phone.  DO NOT give callers information about your bank account, pin numbers, Social Security number or any type of  identifying information. 

Phone Scam Thieves are just that “Thieves”  they will try and trick you into giving them money and information.  If you receive a call protect yourself, your information and DO NOT SEND MONEY! 

If you receive a phone call, always verify who the caller truly is, DO NOT use a phone number they provide you as verification.  Usually numbers provided by the thief will go to a voice recording/message.  Call your local Sheriff Station to verify any solicitation.

If you have sent money or believe that you are a victim of a crime, please call your local Sheriff’s Station or Police Department and report the incident.

If you receive a suspicious phone call/solicitation that you believe is not from a real government agency, please contact The Department of  Consumer Affairs at (800) 593-8222.  You can also file a complaint on the DCA website at dca.lacounty.gov.