ST. LOUIS (AP) - Summer is here, and health officials in Missouri are urging residents to stay cool in what can be a dangerous time of year.
The week of June 22-28 is Missouri Summer Weather Safety Week. Officials with the St. Louis Health Department say more people in the U.S. die from extreme heat than from tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, floods and earthquakes combined.
Missourians are reminded never to leave children or pets unattended in vehicles. When the weather is hot, try to spend most of your time in an air-conditioned building.
Residents are urged to check regularly on people who are elderly, chronically ill or incapacitated, and encourage those with air conditioning to use it. Each summer, people die because they refuse to use their air conditioners in hot weather, often to save money.