VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Central New York battles extreme heat
Thomas Baia: The excessive heat poses a danger to many in Central New York. NCC News reporter Joshua Gingrich has some tips on how you can beat the heat. Joshua?
Joshua Gingrich: Yep, that’s right. Summer is here and with it comes hot weather. I went out today to explore the dangers of the heat and what we can do to stay safe.
Gingrich: Central New York is part of a nationwide heat wave, one that has Gov. Kathy Hochul concerned.
Kathy Hochul: This is not your run-of-the-mill hot summer week. We’re facing four to five straight days of blistering heat.
Gingrich: With temperatures reaching north of 90 degrees in CNY, the heat has been labeled as “extreme” and “dangerous” by the National Weather Service. Meteorologist Kate Thornton says the heat could severely impact people.
Kate Thornton: As your body starts to shut down, essentially, that’s where you get heat exhaustion and heat stroke, where the organs will start to shut down.
Gingrich: Outdoor construction is a regular occurence in Central New York. Thornton says overexhaustion is a real concern for these workers.
Thornton: If you’re overexerting yourself, that can be very, very dangerous to your body and your body can shut down. It can lead to some really bad health effects, even land you in the hospital or worse.
Gingrich: Cooling centers have opened across CNY, including Thornden Park in Syracuse. To primarily keep cool outside, Thorton recommends sunscreen, plenty of shade and lots of water.
Thornton: Water is going to be key, ice water if you can. In a way to even cool yourself, using a cool rag, or water, being able to poor ice water on top of your head. That’s a great way to keep yourself cool.
Gingrich: For the full list of cooling centers, visit syr.gov. From studio, I’m Joshua Gingrich, NCC News. Back to you at the desk.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Central New York is in the middle of an extreme heat wave. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday evening. It’s a situation that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday was not normal.
“This is not your run-of-the-mill hot summer week,” she said. “We’re facing four to five straight days of blistering heat.”
The temperature reached as high as the mid-90s in Syracuse on Tuesday, with it feeling like it was close to 100 degrees. Meteorologist Kate Thornton warned that extreme heat can do severe damage to the body.
“As your body starts to shut down, essentially, that’s where you get heat exhaustion and heat stroke, where the organs will start to shut down,” she said.
The heat can be especially bad for those with chronic conditions. New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in statement last week that it can be “life-threatening” for those with asthma.
Outdoor construction is common during the summer. Thornton said that as she drives down I-81, she hopes that the workers are getting the adequate rest and shade that they need.
“If you’re overexerting yourself, that can be very, very dangerous to your body and your body can shut down,” she said. “It can lead to some really bad health effects, even land you in the hospital or worse.”
The best tip Thornton had for beating the heat was to constantly keep yourself wet or hydrated.
“Using a cool rag, or water, being able to poor ice water on top of your head,” she said. “That’s a great way to keep yourself cool.”
Cooling centers have opened in Syracuse to combat the heat. Their locations can be found on syr.gov.