Limit unnecessary travel. Vehicles without a working air- conditioner pose the most concern, but any traveler can be caught unexpectedly with a breakdown. Carry a jug or cooler of water in the car or truck. Park the car or truck in the shade and leave the windows cracked for ventilation. Do not leave children or pets in a parked car.
Temperatures can rise to dangerous levels in a matter of minutes.
Watch pets closely. Provide a shady spot and a good supply of water, or bring them inside. Make arrangements to check in with a neighbor or friend each day, Bradshaw said. Weather can be deceiving. For example, on a cloudy day recently, Mary Knapp, state climatologist, used a lab-certified thermometer to measure the heat in a white car parked outside a meeting facility.