Monday, May 19, kicks off Heat Safety Week from the National Weather Service. It's a good time to be thinking about it. Much of Florida saw near-record temperatures over the weekend as a heat wave swept over the southern United States , and the hot weather is expected to continue at least until the Memorial Day Weekend.

The Sunshine State has always been hot, but recent years have brought a relentless onslaught of broken heat records, emergency room visits, and deaths.

Experts say the trend will continue increasing, and that's dangerous.

Heat waves kill more people in the U.S. than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined , despite being more preventable. According to the CDC, the average number of heat-related deaths per year in the U.S. has risen 95% from 2010 to 2022. Florida saw an 88% increase in heat-related deaths from 2020 to 2023.

The CDC's Heat & Health Tracker shows a moderate risk for heat-related illnesses in nearly all of Florida as of May 17, 2025.

How dangerous is the heat in Florida?

When your body gets hot, it cools itself off by sweating. If you get too hot, you can't cool off fast enough and your brain, your heart, and other organs can be damaged.

If the relative humidity is high (that's the moisture in the atmosphere), your sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly — or at all — and you heat up even faster. That leads to dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and potentially fatal heat stroke .

Anyone can get heat stroke, but infants, the elderly, and people with chronic disease, or people who have suffered from heat stroke in the past are at higher risk because their bodies may not be able to regulate temperature effectively.

What are the symptoms of heat exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion occurs when the human body has excessive loss of water and salt.

If the person vomits or symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour, get immediate medical attention.

Heat cramps , painful muscle cramps and spasms, usually in the legs and abdomen, may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion. Apply firm pressure on cramping muscles or gently massage to relieve spasms. Give sips of water unless the person complains of nausea, then stop giving water.

If cramps last longer than an hour, get immediate medical attention.

What are the symptoms of heat stroke?

Heat stroke is the most serious heat-rel a ted illness .

How to avoid heat stroke: Dress for the heat, and use sunscreen

The easiest way to avoid the heat is to stay out of it as much as possible, especially at midday when the sun is hottest. Don't overdo it, pace yourself, and avoid getting overheated.

Going outside?

Who is most at risk for extreme heat?

And don't forget your furry friends, who don't like the heat any more than you do and have fewer ways to cool off.

What are Florida's statewide heat exposure protections?

There are none. Florida is under federal OSHA jurisdiction, which covers most private-sector workers within the state, but there are no state standards for heat protection. State and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA.

OSHA has a “ general duty clause ," which requires employers to provide workplaces “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” This includes heat-related hazards that are likely to cause death or serious bodily harm.