By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Even though we got a much needed break from the heat earlier this week, along with some rain to help combat the drought we’re in, summer is far from over. The heat will return and we’ll be back to weather that demands your attention. Hot and humid weather in the summer requires us to make adjustments just as much as cold and snowy weather in winter. In fact the heat is a little bit more deceptive because it can dehydrate you without you realizing it.

That’s why I’d like to urge everyone to be good neighbors during heatwaves in the same way we step up during snowstorms. The elderly family member or neighbor you check in on and perhaps shovel out during the winter could use just as much attention in the height of the summer. Not everyone has air conditioning and even those who do sometimes have the heat get the best of them.

Offer to take an older resident over to one of our libraries or senior centers to help beat the heat, or perhaps over to a shopping center, market or out to the movies where the AC is plentiful. Bring over a pitcher of lemonade or some fresh fruit, make sure they’ve got enough ice in their freezer. Take some time to be sure no one’s fighting through this kind of heat by themselves, and remember to stay ahead of the heat yourself as well. Heat is particularly hazardous to our senior residents because it can trigger other health conditions and, as you get older, your body doesn’t do as good of a job of letting you know when you’re thirsty or overheated. I’m checking on my mother all the time at this time of year.

Kids also need a little extra attention when it gets severely hot, especially if, like my four young boys, they are constantly on the go. Make sure your kids are taking in plenty of fluids at regular intervals. You can have a lot of fun out there in the sun and kids don’t always think to stop what they’re doing to rehydrate. Make sure they’ve got something to drink or some money to buy something to drink when they walk out the door. Even more important, keep them well hydrated before they walk out the door and then pump more liquids into them when they return.

If you’re taking your kids to a pool or one of our parks with water features, invite as many of their friends as you can bring along. Make it a field trip. We’ve got pools and spray pads throughout the city specifically so that kids can play in them during the summer months. I’ve seen a lot of adults cooling off at our spray pads too. There’s no shame in that. When it’s hot, water is your best friend.

We also have an active community that gets plenty of exercise and takes advantage of the summer weather to get outside. No matter how young and strong you think you are, stay hydrated. If you’re doing heavy exercise and sweating more than usual, also be sure to replenish your sodium and potassium levels. A banana and some electrolytes can go a long way. And a cold, wet towel across the back of your neck can do wonders after a hard workout on a hot day.

For those of you who are just out and about in our city on hot days, we’ve planted thousands of trees during the last decade. There’s a lot more shade in Somerville than there was when I was growing up. So grab some of that shade on a hot day. It can make a huge difference when the heat of the day start crawling all over you.

I should also note that the scorching weather isn’t just tough on humans. It affects our pets too. In fact they don’t sweat like we do. Give them extra water and plenty of shade. Keep the blinds drawn in your house in order to keep things cooler for them and remember they need air circulation every bit as much as you do. Keep a fan on for your cats and dogs. And obviously never leave you pets, or kids, in a parked car. That can turn into an over very quickly. Every year we hear horrific stories about how someone somewhere did not pay attention to that important safety advice with tragic consequences.

We have a guide for beating the heat on our City website – http://www.somervillema.gov/alerts/hot-weather-information-and-safety-tips. Call 911 if you’ve got an emergency on your hands or 311 if you’ve got some general questions about what you can do to beat the heat. Summer can be a blast as long as you respect the heat and accommodate for it. Just be attentive that your family and neighbors aren’t suffering through the heat so that we all can enjoy this season together.