Make it a habit to stay hydrated all summer.
As the outside temperatures continue to stay in the 100-plus range, the city of Phoenix Public Transit Department is reminding its passengers to keep their “Personal Cool” to stay safe and healthy during the summer months.
Passengers will see the message on posters and other signage throughout the transit system as well as in a public service announcement airing on PHX11 and phoenix.gov.
Phoenix buses see more than 126,000 weekday boardings, making the transit system heavily used throughout the year. While approximately 2,500 of Phoenix’s nearly 4,000 bus stops have some sort of shade structure, many locations cannot, due to space limitations. The campaign showcases important ways to “keep your cool.”
Tips for transit users to stay heat safe include:
• Cover up: Protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays by your choice of clothing or by using a sunscreen lotion. Make sure babies in strollers are well shaded from the sun; they are less able to move out of the sun’s direct rays.
• Carry portable shade: Small umbrellas are easy to carry and create shade for you and your children. And there are lots of choices of hats to cover your head to help protect you from the sun.
• Carry water: Prevent heat exhaustion by drinking lots of water throughout the day, and making sure children do the same. Take water along for the walk, the wait, and the travel on the bus. You can bring plastic drink containers with a hard plastic lid such as water bottles on the bus.
“Arizona’s summer heat will sneak upon you if you’re not careful,” said Arizona Department of Health Services Director Will Humble. “The key is staying hydrated. Camel up if you’re going out in the heat and make it a habit to stay hydrated with water all summer.”
For more information on Personal Cool, call 602-262-7242 or visit www.phoenix.gov/publictransit.
