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ST. GEORGE — With temperatures predicted to be in the triple digits in southern Utah by Tuesday, health and public safety officials are urging residents and visitors to be mindful of the heat and stay hydrated to avoid becoming a heat-related statistic.
"Even though most heat-related deaths are preventable through outreach and intervention," heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 1,200 people die in the country each year due to extreme heat.
In southern Utah, exposure to the sun and the heat it produces go hand in hand.
"A reason people live here and they're interested in coming to southern Utah is because we have over 300 days of sunshine per year," said David Heaton, a spokesman for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department. "It's great for outdoor recreation and for people trying to get away from the colder, more wintery weather."
