DELAWARE - A heat wave is expected to hit Delaware Thursday through next Tuesday.
CoastTV's First Alert Meteorologists predict temperatures near 90 degrees on Thursday, with Friday through Sunday anticipated to be the hottest days. These days, temperatures are expected to range from the low to mid-90s.
Sussex County's public safety director, Robert Murray, warns that the heat can be dangerous for some.
"When we start stringing together three or four days, we really start to see our vulnerable population take the effects of that," Murray said. "The elderly, young children or those with preexisting health conditions need to be aware and listen to their body, drink lots of fluids, stay indoors, and avoid the hottest part of the day, which is midday. If you have to go outside, go out earlier in the morning or later in the evening to do whatever work you need to do then."
The Brandywine Valley SPCA advises pet owners to keep their dogs inside during the heat wave.
"If your dog needs a short walk in the morning, great. Let them go out in the morning and then wait until the heat of the day is over to take them out again," said Laura Page, Senior Operations Manager at Brandywine Valley SPCA. "If you have a dog that does have to go outside more frequently than, say, every five or six hours, make sure it's a very, very short walk."
Page added if your dog is an outside dog, make sure they have good shade and that you change out their water several times a day since it gets hot very quickly.
Some locals are already planning how they will spend the hot days ahead.
"I'm going to float in my pool and stay nice and cool and hydrate with lots of water," said Milton resident Kim Slautterback.
With temperatures rising, finding ways to stay cool is crucial for everyone.
"The place to be is in the air conditioning, and if you don't have air conditioning, the time to plan for that is now, and think about where you're going to spend the hottest part of your day. The local libraries have air conditioning and are great examples of places where you can get in the AC for a couple of hours," Murray said.
Looking at the forecast, Murray expects EMS personnel to be busier on Saturday and Sunday.