With warmer weather, extended daylight hours, and lots of outdoor activities to enjoy, El Dorado County health officials are offering hot weather safety tips.

Seniors, young children, those with chronic medical conditions and individuals with inadequate air conditioning can be especially vulnerable to hot weather.

The following are tips for staying cool and healthy during hot weather:

• Drink plenty of fluids, such as water and low-calorie sports drinks, to replace salts and minerals lost through sweating.

• Stay indoors in an air-conditioned building. If your home does not have sufficient air conditioning, visit a friend, relative or other location in the community, including libraries, grocery stores or shopping centers where the air conditioning is working.

• Pace yourself and avoid heavy exertion in the heat.

• Never leave a child, elderly person or animal in a parked vehicle, even for a few minutes. Temperatures can quickly rise to dangerous levels in a matter of minutes.

• Check on neighbors, relatives and friends, particularly those who may be isolated.

The Health and Human Services Agency, Community Services Division has programs to help low-income individuals make their homes more summer ready, including weatherization services and the repair or replacement of air conditioners or evaporative coolers. For information about these programs, and eligibility requirements, individuals may call (530) 573.3490 in South Lake Tahoe and (530) 621.6150 in Placerville.