The extreme heat last week led area residents to hunker down inside with the air conditioning cranked.
Not everyone had that option, however, as some industries require outdoor work no matter the weather. Temperatures above 100 degrees didn't stop these workers from doing their jobs, although some made extra effort to beat the heat.
“We have the best job because if you get hot, you can just take a dunk in the water,” said Laurie Morse, Dowding Municipal Pool co-manager.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
In triple digit temperatures, hydration is the name of the game for those who work outside. Kay Hansen, Seward Postmaster, said mail carriers are advised to drink not only water, but electrolyte-enriched beverages as well. Caffeine, she said, is discouraged.
“They drink a lot of water, but you can't just drink water because your sodium levels can get low,” she said. “So we want them to drink water and something with electrolytes to keep up those levels because that also plays a factor.”
“With firefighters and EMS, they know they have to keep hydrated,” said Gary Petersen, Seward County Emergency Management Coordinator. “That's the main thing. If they're on a long incident, they rotate personnel frequently to keep people rested up and hydrated.”
Thomas Goodbarn, Nebraska Department of Transportation district engineer for District 1in southeast Nebraska, said road crews will fill up large coolers with ice and water at the shop and are encouraged to take regular water breaks. He said supervisors carry an added responsibility those days.
“The supervisors make sure they always have water on hand and everyone is drinking,” Goodbarn said. “Everyone just watches out for each other.”
Small breaks, big reliefs
Because projects such as road repairs and emergency calls can't be paused, workers must remain outdoors until the job is done. While remote job locations don't always have access to enclosed, air conditioned structures, employees do find ways to get out of the sun.
Gary TeSelle, maintenance supervisor for the City of Milford, said workers are encouraged to take regular five to ten minute breaks to sit under the shade or an air conditioned vehicle to cool off and let their body relax.
“The city is really good about providing water and stuff for the guys and we keep ourselves hydrated the best we can,” he said, “and we'll maybe have a few little extra breaks here and there. We'll find a shade tree and get ready to go back at it again.”
Morse said lifeguards receive breaks after a five-chair rotation and have others scheduled throughout the day. Lifeguards can spend the breaks how they please, but enjoy putting the pool to use.
“They like to swim and go off boards,” she said. “They get a little eye rest and can cool down. It's never too hot for the pool.”
Schedule shifts for safety
Adam Bode, Assistant Parks Director for Seward, said that the parks department aims to begin the work earlier in the morning to reduce the hours workers are in the hottest temperatures. This allows the checklist for the day to be accomplished as safely as possible.
“We usually start around 6:30 or 7 a.m. depending on the forecast, we take morning breaks, afternoon breaks and lots of hydration,” he said. “One of the main reasons for starting earlier is just to give that hour to not be in the heat. We have a lot of guys used to the heat but we limit it as much as we can.”
Bode added that most of the work is outside but lighter projects are typically saved for days when the weather outlook is dangerous.
“We do a lot of low impact things,” he said. “If we need to be outside, we'll mow, weedeat...nothing over strenuous.”
TeSelle said Milford employees try to tackle the toughest projects in the morning before looking for lighter chores in the afternoon.
“We try to do our heavier projects in the morning and try to do some cleanup and those kinds of things in the afternoon,” he said. “I try to save some things for the heat where we can jump in and out of doors with stuff like vehicle servicing. It's always nice to have those little things for these days.”
Goodbarn said DOT crews too hit the roads early on the hottest days. Some days start as early as 6 a.m. While the goal is to complete everything necessary that day, sometimes the factors require an earlier stop to the day.
“You can only do what you can do,” he said. “There's a point where you just call it.”
He added that some interstate work will be done at night to avoid traffic, but that too allows for less time spent in the sun.
“We've just got to temper the work and do the harder work in the early morning hours or at night,” he said.
Know yourself, know your coworkers
Preventative measures can only protect a worker from the sun to a certain degree.Working conditions and other factors can amplify the effects of heat on a body, which is why workers are encouraged to keep an eye out for themselves and those around them.
“We encourage people to speak up if they're feeling it,” said Goodbarn. “Most of our folks have worked here a long time and they're used to dealing with the seasons but every crew is different. Some folks are in better shape to handle the heat and some aren't.
“They do a good job watching out for each other,” he added. “They look for signs and symptoms and act accordingly and communicate.”
Petersen said firefighters are rotated in and out of calls to provide time for breaks but a safety officer on the scene monitors each responder. He said part of training is to identify hazards and how they affect firefighter health.
“They're well prepared and go through a lot of training,” he said. “They do an excellent job training for instances like that.”
Petersen said awareness of individual health is vital because medical issues on scene will only further complicate an emergency.
“Responders themselves know that if they go down, they're just adding to the problem and they don't want to be a part of it either,” he said.
Hansen said mail carriers do whatever they can to remain cool and escape the heat when possible. Many wear microfiber towels around their necks and hydrate but awareness plays the biggest role in avoiding a medical condition.
“We have seasons people who know how to take care of themselves in the heat but it does take a little time to get acclimated to it,” she said. “A lot of what we do is just educate them for what to look for if they come across a condition and ask them to call 9-1-1 first and then us if someone goes down.”
Morse said she's been proud of how the lifeguards have handled the heat so far. She said they know the importance of the pool for families in the area and will do whatever it takes to make sure they have a place to cool off and soak up the summer.
“They're good about putting on sunscreen, drinking water and taking breaks,” she said. “It's hot but kids are tough. They're doing a great job.”
