As I drove into work today in my air-conditioned crossover, I couldn’t help but think about all the vulnerable people facing the current extreme heat wave. My heart ached for people who do not have air conditioning, the elderly, disabled people, and especially the homeless.
What can I do? For starters:
- Do not judge or look down upon this vulnerable population
- Maybe say some prayers or send positive energy
- Lend a hand at the local shelters, as they will be understaffed and overcrowded this next week
- Educate myself on the dangers
As we face an extreme heat warning in Michigan, with dangerously hot conditions with a heat index exceeding 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit expected for the next week, it is important to note that other states are affected as well.
For example, where the World Cup is being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the general public adjusting to the heat will be awfully difficult, and the homeless population there will suffer greatly as visitors from around the world crowd the streets where these vulnerable folks could have sought shelter from the heat.
According to reports from News Channel WFAA, “Meteorologists predict many parts of the central and eastern U.S. will have heat index temperatures — which combine air temperature with humidity — soaring into the triple-digits.
World Cup host cities feeling the heat
Many of the U.S.’s World Cup visitors will also be caught up in the heat. Conditions will bring above-average temperatures to World Cup host cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Kansas City, Missouri, all of which have open-air stadiums.
Concerns about extreme heat during the games taking place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico have been mounting for months. Worsening climate change, caused by burning oil, gas and coal, is fueling dangerous heat across the globe. In the U.S., heat kills more people every year than all other weather-related events, including hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,”.
Experts at the World Meteorological Organization state that, “Heat-related illnesses range from relatively mild heat cramps through to more dangerous consequences such as fainting and heat stroke, which can be fatal. Extreme heat can also worsen existing cardiovascular, respiratory, cerebrovascular, kidney and mental health conditions. Exposure to heat can affect sleep, concentration, reaction time and productivity, while prolonged periods of heat can contribute to irritability, depression and cognitive difficulties.
Some groups are particularly vulnerable, including older adults, infants and children, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions, living with disabilities or taking certain medications, outdoor workers and those working in high heat environments, socially isolated people, individuals experiencing homelessness and those living in housing that is poorly adapted to heat.
The impacts of extreme heat extend beyond health. In 2023, heat stress contributed to an estimated US$ 835 billion in lost labour productivity worldwide. Outdoor workers are especially vulnerable, as heat can impair judgement, concentration, coordination and physical performance, increasing the risk of accidents.
Extreme heat can also amplify other hazards. Heatwaves frequently interact with drought, wildfire, smoke, air pollution and flash floods, creating compounding risks,”.
How to stay cool in 100 degree heat?
Growing up with hot, humid Pure Michigan summers, we learned to stay cool by finding a river, stream, pond, sprinkler, or a Great Lake to cool off in.
If you can’t get to a body of water and don’t have air conditioning, another solution to beat the heat inside your home is to be very strategic with fan placement. Although it isn’t super effective, it was all we had when I was a little girl.
For example, during the daytime, the fans would be pointed outwards to blow the hot air back outside. We would also keep the curtains drawn and closed to keep the house shaded and help cool it down.
At night, we turned the fans around to blow the cooler night air throughout the house, and before bed, we would either take a cold shower or just put our feet in the tub to run cold water over them.
We would also get a washcloth, drench it with cold water, and put it on our faces and the backs of our necks to cool our bodies. If that weren’t enough because it was still too hot despite the sun being down- we would camp out in the basement.
No worries, we had a clean, finished basement where we set up cots and brought a little radio to listen to in case there were storm threats, as there typically are when it’s very hot and humid.
When my sons were little, one summer, our air conditioning was on the fritz, and it would have been costly to repair, which we did not have the funds for at the time. So, I explained to my family that we were going to “sweat it out” to beat the heat that summer and that I knew exactly what to do as I grew up without air conditioning.
Fortunately, we also live across the street from a large inland lake and are surrounded by hundreds of other lakes in Southeast Michigan. Thankfully, cooling off is easily done where we live! We swam to stay cool during the day and hunkered down in our finished basement to sleep at a comfortable temperature at night—no need to sweat it out if we don’t have to.
However, today, my seventeen-year-old son has his bedroom in the basement (his lair, as I call it, ha, ha). This means that my other son and I would have to figure out a way to coerce his little brother into letting us stay in his lair should we not have access to the AC!
It is also important to drink plenty of cold water, stay hydrated, and limit strenuous activities if possible.
What is a heat wave
Okay, so we have established the dangers of a heat wave as well as some potential solutions regarding what to do in a heat wave. But what is a heat wave anyway? Let’s see what the experts have to say.
The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) definition is, “A heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather that typically lasts two or more days. To be considered a heat wave, the temperatures have to be outside the historical averages for a given area.
They are serious weather phenomena that can be quite dangerous,”.
Why are heat waves dangerous
In conclusion, heat waves are dangerous because they test our health, homes, and communities—so staying informed, compassionate, and prepared truly can save lives.
