Surviving the Air Show

Capt. Donald Mills M.D. is all too familiar with the combination of hot weather and air shows.

He’s emergency room director at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert. Edwards hosts numerous events that are open to the public, including an annual air show.

So, Mills is uniquely qualified to give advice to those heading to the Van Nuys Air Show this weekend in the midst of an unrelenting heat wave. The high predicted for Van Nuys today: 106 degrees.

Mills speaks softly, but delivers his advice with military precision:

* Do not take infants. Babies, he explains, do not have the defense mechanisms needed to deal with high temperatures at a site with little shade.

* Children should only stay a couple of hours, at most. Meteorologist Jeff House, of WeatherData, agrees. He notes that heat rising from runways concentrates a foot or two off the ground, leaving children more susceptible.

* Heat stroke is most common among the elderly. Seniors should also limit their time at the event.

* Dress like a nomad. Cover up as much as possible, with light-colored, loose clothing. Short sleeves and shorts leave too much skin exposed.

* No sandals. Sunburn on the tops of feet is particularly painful.

* Wear a wide-brimmed hat.

* Use sunblock on any exposed skin, including hands.

* Drink water before you get thirsty.

* Water is better than sports drinks. If you’re not exercising, you can get an electrolyte imbalance from too much sports drink.