The unrelenting summer heat is on.

Trying to keep cool under the Texas sun is always a seasonal problem.

Monday marked the first 100 degree temperature day in San Antonio and the thermometer is not expected to be moving much for a while.

Extreme hot temperatures and high humidity can have devastating effects on people. We should all do our part to minimize the adverse effects by keeping hydrated, wearing appropriate clothing, using sunscreen and taking plenty of breaks. Recognizing the body's signals that it is in distress from the heat and seeking medical help are just as important.

Local public pools are open. Take advantage of them as a temporary respite. Pools operated by the San Antonio Parks and Recreations department are free of charge and open from 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. They are closed on Mondays.

Local athletes and coaches are doing their part to keep cool, San Antonio Express-News sports writer Richard Oliver reported. Many coaches are shifting practice schedules to cooler times, indoors or to shady areas. They are also adding more breaks and making sure athletes are knowledgeable about heat exhaustion symptoms. Adults need to encourage children to take precautions against the high heat. Often, in the passion for their sports, they tend to overdo it without realizing they are overtaxing their bodies until it is too late.

If it weren't for air conditioning in our cars, many of us would never leave our homes, but cars pose their own heat-related problems. Leaving children in a car for any length of time can be extremely dangerous. The interior temperature of a vehicle can become deadly in a matter of minutes. Last year, 33 children died of hyperthermia in United States, 13 of them in Texas.

Every year we have tragic cases of parents who absentmindedly leave their children in parked cars during the workday. Double-checking for children in the back seat before locking the car and locking unattended vehicles to keep children from crawling in are crucial precautionary measures that cannot be overemphasized.

The elderly are also vulnerable in the heat, and we can all help to ensure their safety. Now through Sept. 14, local fire stations will accept donations of new 20-inch electric box fans to be distributed to residents 60 and older.

Requests for the free fans from Project Cool can be made through the United Way help line at 2-1-1.

Extreme high temperatures pose myriad problems, but taking proper precautionary measures and learning to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion can save lives.