Las Vegans cope with working in the extreme heat - FOX5 Vegas - KVVU
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When it gets as hot as it has been in Las Vegas for the past few days, most residents head straight indoors for relief.
Not everyone has that luxury, however. Those who are stuck working outside can be risking their lives in the heat. When temperatures rise, so do the number of emergency calls.
Members of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue said they get as many as 10 extra calls a day when the extreme heat kicks in.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the next two days. Firefighters admitted the heat takes a toll on them, too.
"It's 113 out here. You are wearing three layers of protective clothing. Your adrenaline is going. You are pulling hose, entering the structure, the fire. Heat and smoke – it just intensifies," said Cindy Kennedy with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue.
Firefighters travel with tents, coolers and even a misting system to stay cool and prevent injury.
"With the 75 pounds of extra gear they have on them, the dehydration they have going on, they are 30 percent less effective," said Kennedy.
Firefighters said most of the calls about heat they receive aren't about people working outside, but the homeless and people who haven't acclimated to higher temperatures.
"When you start to feel thirsty, the body is already damaged," said Las Vegas Fire and Rescue's Tim Szymanski.
If you have to be outside in this heat you should drink three times what you would normally drink.
The warning signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness and nausea. If you feel these symptoms, slow down, pace yourself and drink water.
Copyright 2012 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
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