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Philly, Wilmington residents watch out for the elderly in excessive heat wave
Jeff Cole reports on efforts made by Wilmington officials and residents to keep the elderly cool and out of the dangerous heat.
WILMINGTON, Del. - From the city to the suburbs, it’s sweltering outside, feeling as though it’s in the triple digits.
Most of the area is under an Excessive Heat Warning, among other advisories. And, the elderly are particularly susceptible to the dangerous heat.
The spray ground at Wilmington’s Father Tucker Park offered welcome relief from the sultry weather baking the region for a second day. With an Excessive Heat Warning issued for the city of 70,000, Wilmington began handing out free fans to any resident 65-years and older.
McKinley Teagle came for a 68-year-old relative.
"Very stressful, right now. It’s very hot and hurting him real bad. He needs help and I’m just trying to do the best I can for him," Teagle explained.
The city provided 20 fans to residents by noon Tuesday. Javette Lane picked up one for her parents, both in their 80s.
"My parents do have ventilation. With a fan, it’s good to blow the cold air around, but so many seniors don’t have ventilation," Lane commented.
"A lot of homes in Wilmington don’t have central air. Often with the heat wave, a window unit isn’t going to cut it. It gives them the opportunity to be cool," Jen Prado said.
In Philadelphia, there was no escape from the blazing sun for construction workers while the city prepares to slowly open just 47 pools starting Wednesday, due to a shortage of lifeguards.
The air conditioning was turned up high on SEPTA busses acting as cooling stations in city neighborhoods.
The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging opened its heat line, directing residents to cooling centers or linking them to medical care.
"Helping people suffering from heat stress, the heat line has three nurses from the Department of Health available to access if we need to dispatch a mobile unit to help them in person," Nolan Lawrence, with Philadelphia Corporation for Aging explained.
Back in Wilmington, a breeze offered some relief while water and caution are the best defense.
"The heat is tougher on the elderly?" asked FOX 29’s Jeff Cole.
"Absolutely, it’s why we need to check on neighbors, on grandparents, loved ones. We need to check on them anyway," Lane answered.
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