Summer activities can be both fun and safe
Many members of the OCCC community this summer will try to escape the heat that accompanies Oklahoma summers. The Norman and Oklahoma City metro area offers a vast array of opportunities to be active and safe from the scorching summer.
Summertime is a great opportunity to go outside and be active with friends and family, however, since the record-setting summer of 2011 many are making plans to stay inside this round.
According to the National Weather Service, the summer of 2011 saw the driest four months in Oklahoma since 1921.
Without rain, or cool air for that matter, it was hard for Oklahomans to find activities to do inside where they would still get the same satisfaction as outdoors.
Doctor offers summer tips
How to hydrate
• Drink plenty of fluid. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
• If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.
• Avoid liquids with alcohol or sugar as they will cause you to lose more body fluid.
• Stay away from very cold drinks as they can cause stomach cramps.
Limit outdoor activity to morning and evening hours and wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Monitor young children and elderly people.
They are more sensitive to the heat exhaustion or heat stroke. A very important tip for summer health is to drink enough fluids — hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Recognizing heat stroke
A body temperature above 103 degrees Farenheit, red, hot dry skin and no sweating means that the body’s sweating mechanism is failing and unable to cool down. If the person has a rapid strong pulse, headache, dizziness or nausea call 911 and get the victim to a shady area. Try to cool the victim using whatever methods you can like spraying them with cool water from a hose.
How to alleviate a sunburn
There’s no fast “cure” for sunburns, they may take days to heal. To treat the pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever and keep the area moisturized with aloe. Keep the skin cool by using cold compresses or taking a cold bath.
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “healthy tan.” Unprotected sun exposure causes premature aging of the skin.
—Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Metro cool spots great way to beat the heat
Andy Alligator’s Water Park — Norman
Andy Alligator’s Water Park offers many options to guests. This water park includes a water playground as well as a lazy river and a current downstream for those who need more excitement according to travelok.com. The facility is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week and the admission is separate from Andy Alligator’s Fun Park, according to travelok.com. Andy Alligators is located at 3300 Market Place Drive in Norman. For more information, visit www.andyalligators.com or call 405-321-7275.
Wild West Water Works — Oklahoma City
One of the newest additions to the area is Wild West Water Works. Located on the campus of Frontier City, Wild West Water Parks is a place where you can get wet at any time. They have eight water slides and also activities for the kids, according to travelok.com. If you feel tired from all of the fun you can chill-out at their lounge. Admission is free with park admission and open Memorial Day weekend through Sept. 9. For more information, visit www.frontiercity.com or call 405-478-2140.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art — Oklahoma City
Three-stories tall, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is located at 415 Couch Drive, in the OKC downtown area. The collection consists of European and American art of the 19th and 20th century, according to travelok.com. The museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m Sunday. Members of the museum receive free admission, but adults are $10, students and children ages 6 to 18 are $8, members of the armed forces are $5, and children under the age of five are free. For more information, visit www.okcmoa.com or call 405-236-3100.
Sam Noble Museum of Natural History — Norman
Containing four billion years of history, the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, located on 2401 Chautauqua Ave. contains the world’s largest Apatosaurus, according to travelok.com. Them museum houses a Hall of Ancient Life, Hall of Natural Wonders, Hall of the People of Oklahoma, Gallery of World Cultures, Paleozoic Gallery and even a discovery room where children can unearth there own dinosaur bones. The hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m Sunday. Admissions vary by age group and OU students get in free. For more information, visit www.snomnh.ou.edu or call 405-325-4712.
YMCA — Oklahoma City
The YMCA, located at 11801 South May Ave., is known as Earlywine Park. The YMCA provides everything you could possibly need when trying to get your body summertime fit. The YMCA offers group exercise classes, a gym, an indoor pool and a fitness area with television for entertainment, according to ymcaokc.org. Facility hours are from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For a single YMCA membership, the cost is $38.75 per month, for a family the cost is $58.75 per month, for teenagers the cost is $19.50 per month and for children up to age 12 the cost iss $9.75 per month. For more information, visit ymcaokc.org or call 405-297-7777.
“Last summer was unbearable at times, especially since you couldn’t even go to the park or even the zoo,” said Ashley Cleveland, Public Relations major.
Fortunately for the OCCC community, there will be plenty of activities to take advantage of this summer.
To cool you off, Norman and Oklahoma City offer water parks and other options to keep you cool.
Of course there are many many more activities going on this summer. These are just some that can get you started in the right direction and to help you enjoy a heat-stroke-free summer.
To contact Brandon Willis, email onlinewriter@occc.edu.