Heat wave to continue all week
Outside workers try to stay cool
Under the shade or staying inside are priorities to follow as rising temperatures continue throughout the rest of the summer months.
The Porterville Fire Department has already outlined some safety procedures with their Heat Illness Prevention Program to help people stay safe and cool.
Firefighter Reggie Calo says they hope people follow their advice.
“We want to prevent heat strokes, with our Health and Illness Prevention Program. We recommend everyone to participate in the program, stay cool, hydrated, that way they don’t hit those stages, stay underneath the shade,” said Calo. “If you start feeling fatigue, you gotta communicate. A lot of people have pride and they’ll just continue going. If your body doesn’t feel right, communicate, and listen to your body.”
Temperatures, which hit 110 degrees in Porterville on Tuesday, are not going to cool any time soon. The predicted high temperatures for the next several days in Porterville are 112 today; 112 Thursday; 109 Friday and 106 Saturday. Nighttime lows will be in the upper-70s.
Under the Illness Prevention Program, they explain what are some of the problems that can happen, and what people can do if they experience, heat exhaustion, heat stress, heat strain and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion is usually caused by the loss of fluids, and the person can experience extreme weakness and vomiting, and this can be prevented by drinking large amounts of water. Heat stress can happen when a person is working outside in extreme heat conditions. It is often times experienced by firefighters due to the harsh environments they are working in.
Calo says it’s very important for firefighters to stay cool when they are out fighting fires during the summer heat, and usually are urged to speak up and take breaks if they are feeling dizzy or fatigued. The chief does a good job of making sure they take a break for at least 10 to 20 minutes.
Heat stroke is probably the worst condition that a person can experience as the body temperature rises up to 104, the body’s regulatory system will begin to fail, and when early prevention is not taken, a person can suffer brain damage or death.
For those who like to stay physically active, the summer heat can also be a challenge, and Calo suggests running should be done in the early morning or late evenings after 8 or 9 p.m.
He also recommends eating three to four meals a day before they start feeling fatigue.
“We are trying to prevent people from hurting themselves,” said Calo.
For those working outside for the entire day, staying cool might seem challenging. Jorge Sierra, who is a plumber working construction at Porterville High School, says his crew takes breaks when necessary and usually starts the day pretty early by clocking in at 6 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m.
“We try to stay in the shade as much as possible, and drink lots of water, but we’re used to it,” said Sierra.
The construction crew members are offered a break in the morning, a lunch, and another break in the afternoon, and are often times covered up with long sleeves, hats and sunglasses to protect them from the sun.
Other construction workers around town, like foreman Vince Davis, says he keeps his crew under the shade as much as possible, with regular breaks throughout
the day. His crew starts at 7 a.m. and ends by 3:30 p.m.
Davis and his crew will be working on sidewalk construction through Porterville’s downtown until the end of the year.
“Even though it’s hot, I prefer the summer, with winter you have to wait some days, and worry about the concrete freezing,” said Davis.
For pet owners, Calo also says it’s important to make sure they are getting plenty of water, and staying inside.
“What I recommend for pet owners to keep their dogs cool is bring them in the house, and provide a lot of water, don’t walk them during the day, they will get blisters on their feet,” said Calo.
Soon-to-be seniors from Granite Hills High School, Antonio Torres and Felix Magana, are interning at the fire department as public information officers and have seen first-hand what can happen to pets if they are not taken care of.
Through their school’s Law, Justice and Ethics (LJE) pathway, they are able to work on some pretty cool projects, and are currently working on researching oxygen masks for pets likes cats and dogs that end up stuck inside burning houses. Often times pets who are rescued by police officers after a fire need an oxygen mask to breathe and are not able to use the same masks given to humans.
Both Torres and Magana will also be working on putting a video together showing the procedures on how to use the mask on pets. Magana who plays football for Granite Hills wants to be a firefighter, and will report to football practice after his internship, and tries to keep cool, since they practice most of the summer outside, and usually only get two weeks off.
About the internship, Torres says, “Its a good job, we learn a lot, and it comes with a lot of benefits.”