As the whole state attempts to survive the latest wave of oppressively uncomfortable temperatures and high humidities, local authorities are reminding Ames residents to stay safe and conserve electricity.

Lori Morrissey, Story County Emergency Management coordinator, said the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for much of the state of Iowa, including Story County.

She said the advisory, which began Wednesday morning and will continue until Friday, includes both the daylight hours and evening hours, a rare occurrence.

“It is very unusual to have the advisory in effect during night-time hours, but due to the humidity, I can see why it’s in place,” she said.

The National Weather Service is expecting highs in the mid-90s today and lows in mid- to upper-70s tonight. Factoring in a relative humidity in the 80s, the heat index will be in the 105-115 degrees range, Morrissey said.

Temperatures and humidities for Friday are expected to remain the same and the advisory might be extended, she said.

Gary Titus, assistant director of the Ames Municipal Electric System (A.M.E.S.), said the peak electricity demands on Wednesday were setting new seasonal highs for the year.

“We’re definitely running higher,” he said. “At 4 p.m. we peaked at 105.0 megawatts, which is higher than Tuesday’s peak of 103.1 megawatts.”

Wednesday’s peak was higher than last year’s top electricity demand, 103.7 megawatts on July 20.

Titus said he was expecting an even higher peak today because of the prolonged existence of high temperatures.

“When you get into a long spell like this it goes higher every day,” he said. “On Thursday we’ll probably get to around 107 megawatts, which would the third straight seasonal peak.”

Titus said A.M.E.S. was prepared for the high demand for energy created by the heat wave.

“This is all within what we’ve forecasted in our load forecasting,” he said. “We’ve got enough commitments and generation to meet our needs for now.”

One of the major concerns during a heat wave is keeping citizens cool and safe from heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke, Morrissey said

Symptoms of these afflictions include leg or muscle spasms and heavy sweating for heat cramps, cold and clammy skin and fainting and vomiting for heat exhaustion and rapid loss of consciousness and extraordinarily high body temperatures for heat stroke, she said.

“A lot of that depends on what you’re used to,” Morrissey said. “Factors such as weight, age and how much water you have drank will all play in. But when it’s as hot and humid as it is this week, everyone should be aware of the health risks.”

Tips on keeping cool include drinking plenty of water, staying inside if at all possible, wearing loose-fitting clothes and using sunscreen, she said.

If you must work outside, take frequent breaks and try not to overexert yourself, she said.

“Just use common sense,” Morrissey said. “If you’re feeling the effects of the heat because you don’t have an air conditioner, go to a public place that does have air conditioning or use a fan.”

She pointed out the importance of checking on others to make sure they aren’t suffering from heat-related illnesses.

“The main thing is be careful with yourself and be especially alert with your friends and neighbors, especially the elderly,” she said. “If you see someone napping outside, just check in on them and make sure they are all right.”

Morrissey said there had been no heat-related ambulance calls in Story County to her knowledge.

Also important is keeping the peak demand at A.M.E.S. down, said Merlin Hove, director of A.M.E.S.

“Reducing our system’s peak demand helps keep our costs and electric rates as low as possible,” he said.

“A.M.E.S. must meet this higher demand using its own generation peaking unit or through purchases from other utilities. Peaking energy can be very expensive to purchase, particularly during a heat wave,” he said.

Dan Husted, energy services coordinator, had several recommendations for Ames residents to keep electric usage down:

• Do laundry, particularly clothes drying, and use the dishwasher and the oven early in the morning or late in the evening.

• Turn off unnecessary lighting. Heat-producing appliances and lighting force your air conditioner to work longer.

• Set your air conditioner thermostat at an energy deficient setting of 78 to 80 degrees. Using ceiling fans to circulate air will help you feel cooler, even at higher thermostat settings.