South Carolina Gears Up for Heat Safety Week as Temperatures Rise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 15, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed May 19 through May 23, 2025, as South Carolina Heat Safety Week. As temperatures begin to rise across that state, officials are urging residents to prioritize heat safety ahead of the summer season.
This statewide initiative is a joint effort between the S.C. State Climatology Office, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, the National Weather Service, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, and the S.C. Department of Public Health.

“Extreme heat can be just as dangerous as other severe weather hazards,” said John Quagliariello, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Columbia Office. “It’s crucial that we take heat safety seriously—especially vulnerable populations such as older adults, children, outdoor workers, and those with underlying health conditions.”

Heat Safety Week will include daily themes to educate the public on the dangers of excessive heat and the steps they can take to stay safe:

May 19: Heat-related illness awareness

May 20: Check on your family, neighbors, and friends

May 21: Heatstroke prevention tips

May 22: Heat safety and outdoor recreation

May 23: Staying safe in the sun (Don’t Fry Day)

Assistant State Climatologist Melissa Griffin said, “Heat waves generally occur during the summer months, when weather patterns are slow to shift, but can occur late in the spring and into the middle of fall.” She also stated that heat has been the leading cause of weather-related fatalities nationwide since 1991. She encouraged South Carolina residents and visitors to pay close attention to local weather forecasts from the National Weather Service and local meteorologists.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) places an emphasis on preventing vehicular heat stroke, especially among young children, who are particularly at risk. More than 50% of child heatstroke fatalities are the result of a child being forgotten in a vehicle. Additionally, more than 25% of child heatstroke fatalities happen because a child gains unauthorized access to a parked vehicle and becomes entrapped, like getting locked in the trunk of a car.

"A car, even in moderate temperatures, can become dangerously hot very quickly,” said Kevin Poore, Director of Safe Kids South Carolina and DPH's Child Passenger Safety Coordinator. “It's important to create habits which include checking for children and pets upon exiting your vehicle, as well as preventing unauthorized access to cars by keeping your doors locked. Finally, always be willing to take action and immediately call 911 when you see a child left alone in a car."

DPH has developed an interactive Heat Related Illness Dashboard, which includes interactive data pages that allow you to view data for the state and each county. There were 209 hospitalizations and 1,814 emergency department visits for heat related illness in South Carolina from May to September in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.

Tips for Staying Safe in the Heat:

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day (typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing.
Take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even for a few minutes.
Check on neighbors or those without access to air conditioning.

Additional resources can be found online at weather.gov/safety/heat, scemd.org/prepare/ and dph.sc.gov/health-wellness/health-safety/heat-related-illnesses.

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