Jul 24, 2011 2:08 PM

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for southeastern Suffolk County, in effect from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, and town and county officials are urging residents to take precaution as the mercury rises.

Citing a forecasted heat index of up to 95 degrees on Friday, Southampton Town officials will provide an air-conditioned cooling center at the Hampton Bays Senior Center on Ponquogue Avenue. The center was opened at 10 a.m. and will continue to be open through the evening, due to some power outages in the area. Town residents who do not have available transportation may call the Hampton Bays Senior Center at 728-1235 for shuttle service.

Officials advise residents to drink more fluids, but not those containing alcohol or large amounts of sugar, which cause people to lose more body fluid. They also urge residents to stay indoors, in air conditioning, if possible. They remind residents that shopping malls and public libraries are good places to seek air conditioning.

Although electric fans provide comfort, they do not prevent heat-related illness when temperatures soar into the 90s, officials said. Instead, they advise taking a cool shower or bath. Residents should also wear light, loose-fitting clothing, and never leave anyone—including pets—in a closed, parked vehicle.

Infants, young children, seniors over 65, those who have mental illness, and those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, are at greater risk of suffering from heat-related illness than the general population, and should be checked on regularly.

For those who must be out in the heat, the county advises limiting one’s outdoor activity to the morning and evening, cutting down on exercise, resting in shady areas and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and broad spectrum sunscreen.

According to the National Weather Service, heat is the top weather-related killer in the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths per year.