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Ways to beat the heat when you're outdoors

"Definitely stay hydrated, stay in the shade. If you dance, take a break 'cause it is really hot. Bring a hand fan, stand by the misters."

A heat advisory has been issued for New Orleans and surrounding areas until 6 p.m. Sunday, and with temperatures sweltering residents are finding ways to stay cool while outside.

One attendee of the 2018 Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival said she already has her plan.

“To stay cool, dance, drink, drink plenty of water, it’s all iced up!” festival attendee Angela Lee said.
Lee said she got to the festival nice and early to get a good spot.

“I love the shade! If the sun gets too hot, I got my canopy where I can pull it up so the sun won't hit my back,” Lee said.

Doctor Keith Van Meter, the section head for Emergency Medicine at LSU, says people who plan to go outside should drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun and wear light, loose clothes that will wick away the sweat.

“One little drop of water evaporates. It pulls a lot of calories off of you as it goes off into the atmosphere. It is a very powerful cooling agent,” Dr. Van Meter said.

Tracy Thompson, who sells hats, also has a lot of experience being in the heat for festivals.

“Definitely stay hydrated, stay in the shade. If you dance, take a break ‘cause it is really hot. Bring a hand fan, stand by the misters,” Thompson recommends.

Dr. Van Meter said misters do work wonders in the heat.

“The sprinkler systems that mist, will put automatic moisture down on you, and then that will evaporate and that helps cool too,” he said.

Katie Steiner can be reached at ksteiner@wwltv.com.

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