PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Several days of extremely hot weather have led the Philadelphia Public Health Department to declare a fever health emergency. People Eyewitness News spoke to say he thinks this will be one of the hottest summers ever.
From empty spray fields to lazy days behind counters, a health emergency due to heat in the city has people running to protect themselves from the sun.
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“When it’s hot like this, especially during the day, you don’t go out much just because it’s hot,” said one man.
One woman said, “This is the first time in my life that I have had such a continuous 90-degree fever.
In what feels like a never-ending heatwave, the city’s emergency management agency says the weather is a serious problem. Such weather, he warns, can lead to dehydration, heat stroke, and heat stroke if it continues for more than two days.
“If you go to Florida or Nassau, it’s tropical heat,” said the woman.
To help people endure these sweltering days, the city has activated its cooling facilities.
“It’s hot and you don’t have to stand,” said the woman.
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Some are fixed, like the cooling center at the Fumoya Library, while others are on wheels, like the SEPTA cooling buses installed at various intersections.
Red Cross volunteers helped.
“I am grateful to be able to support them now,” said one volunteer.
For a 90-year-old company like Pop’s Italian Ice, those temperatures are impacting voter turnout.
“The park is across the street,” said the man.
“I got that house specifically just because it was near the water ice like today,” said the woman.
But my advice for those brave enough to brave the sun is simple.
“Maybe if you’re in Philadelphia, you should get some water ice or just stay indoors,” the boy said.
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The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging hotline is 215-765-9040.
