Preparing for the sweltering heat

(WTNH) -- The sweltering heat in this week's forecast has some folks already mapping out a game plan.

"I'll be ducking into stores more often, getting that air conditioning," said Bo Chen.

Taking the hot weather seriously is a good thing.

"National Weather Service tracks weather hazards," said Paul Shipman, American Red Cross, "and heat is the greatest cause of death related to weather, more than flood, tornado, hurricanes combined. So this is not fooling around."

The Emergency Department at the hospital of St. Raphael is gearing up for it.

"Two days, you'll see some things like heat exhaustion," said Dr. David Young, Hospital of St. Raphael.

The number one health issue being dehydration.

"Just keep hydrated because that's the most frequent thing we see is dehydration," said Dr. Young.

"A lot of people forget about that," asked News 8's Jocelyn Maminta.

"Yes, they do or they can't get to it," Dr. Young replied. "A lot of folks, for example, the elderly who are not very mobile."

The temperature can't heat up fast enough for vendors like Sequndo Maldonado.

"It's very nice, a lot of people stop," Maldonado said.

If you're heading out to the Travelers Golf Tournament, St. Francis Hospital is doubling physicians and increasing supplies of IV's and medic staffing.

The number one thing to remember is to stay hydrated.