So Far, So Good, But the Worst Heat is Still in Store

It’s so hot outside that the robins are using hot pads to catch night crawlers....

OK, maybe that’s a bit much. But there’s no denying that Wauwatosa and the rest of the region are in the midst of a heated battle with Mother Nature. While so far the dire forecast for unearthly temperatures this week has not lived up to its billing, Wednesday is going to be different.

It's going to be a scorcher.

Temperatures will rise to the mid- to upper-90s with heat indexes of up to 115 degrees. The NWS has already issued an Excessive Heat Warning that is in effect for southwest Wisconsin at least until Thursday. 

The National Weather Service and Wisconsin Emergency Management are urging people to protect themselves from the dangerous heat and humidity which are expected to continue for the rest of the week.

Common sense tips for coping with the heat include drinking lots of water to stay hydrated, staying inside in an air conditioned building, and wearing light clothing. Taking a cool shower or bath can cool down body temperatures faster than air conditioning.  People are also advised to watch their pets and not leave them in the car while going to the store.

While the combination of heat and humidity has been stifling, the good news so far in Wauwatosa has been that there haven’t been any serious heat-related casualties. 

“Our call volume is up a little bit but nothing major,” said Deputy Chief Bill Rice of the Wauwatosa Fire Department. “We are getting more heat-related calls but they tend to be more minor. We have also had additional calls related to fire detection systems because they seem to be affected by the high heat and humidity, so we have had some false alarms.

"Other than that, we’re handling things pretty well. People just need to stay hydrated, stay out of the heat wherever possible, and it seems to be working so far.”

As always, the elderly, small children and those with heart problems or respiratory illnesses like asthma are particularly vulnerable in this kind of weather. There are several telltale signs of heat related illness, including:

• Cramps and muscle spasms. This usually happens when people are doing activity in the heat.
• Heat exhaustion, including heavy sweating, muscle cramps, feel weak, dizzy, and a headache

Heat stroke is the most serious issue and is marked by high body temperature, redness in the face, elevated heartbeat, headache, and confusion.  If this happens, call 911 immediately.

The city health department is closely monitoring the situation as the heat wave plays out.

“The Wauwatosa Health Department is a member of the county-wide Heat Task Force,” said Nancy Kreuser, the city’s health officer. “As a local government entity, WHD strives to not duplicate services and activities that are already in place for the community; this is part of our surveillance activities.

"We continue to monitor the local media outlets, which have done an outstanding job of promulgating the heat advisory messages including what to look for and where to go for relief from the heat.” 

For seniors and others who are more vulnerable to the heat, just getting around town can be the biggest challenge. However, once they arrive at places like the Senior Center at Hart Park, they will find plenty of good options for staying cool, even if it’s not for a regularly scheduled activity.

“We have told them that if a room isn’t in use for another pre-planned group, we’ve got our TV, and we’ll watch movies, and we had folks playing Wii bowling this afternoon,” said Merry Johnson, the center’s director.

The Senior Center at Hart Park is administered by the West Suburban YMCA at 124th and North Avenue. Seniors may also take advantage of the YMCA’s extended hours for the rest of the week. The doors are open until 10 p.m.

“West Suburban has been wonderfully gracious about saying that nutrition site people and Hart Park members can flash their card and they can use their gathering area just to sit and get out of the heat,” said Johnson.

Other Places to Keep Cool
There are a wide variety of other choices available in Wauwatosa to beat the heat. In addition to heading to air conditioned shopping malls like Mayfair or to movie theatres, many area churches are opening their doors to folks who want to get out from under the sun.

Tosa Pool at Hoyt Park is open from noon to 4:30 p.m. each weekday. Then, of course, there are the swimming pools at Washington Park, as well as the wading pools and splash pads around Milwaukee County Parks that have extended pool hours for most of the week.

“We’ve done our part by extending hours at all of our outdoor pools,” said Jeff Baudry of the Milwaukee County Parks Department. “We have evening swims going on for sure up until Thursday, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Families can pack themselves up, go out and cool off in all of our pools.”

For a complete list of area pools and other water options, visit (http://county.milwaukee.gov/ParksandPublicInfras7720.htm)