Heat warning extended to Friday, cooling centers become oasis, farmer's market canceled

As heat indices blasted past the 110-degree mark Wednesday, Duran Howell, who described himself as "kind of homeless," made his way along with dozens of others into the Washington Street Mission to beat the heat.

Having a place for air conditioning, a bottle (or two) of water and a bite to eat is enough of a reason for Howell to appreciate the mission. But he said there's more -- feeling a sense of respect from people who run the mission which is now serving as a haven from the heat.

"A lot of people look at these people (the homeless) as the forgotten people," said Howell. "They're still all people, they're all people to me. The staff here is a great staff. There's a lot of great things that go on here."

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About 130 people pass through the mission on a normal day, said Eldon Davis, director of operations. But during the excessive heat, the number can vary from 60 to 160 because other city-designated cooling centers are open, he said.

City Water, Light and Power spokesperson Amber Sabin also noted that Lincoln Library had seen an increase in visitors as a result of the heat, with more than 100 additional visitors than normal each day. She also said that Municipal Centers East and West, both open as cooling stations, weren't seeing a noticeable increase in people coming in to cool off.

The need to find a cool spot became more acute Wednesday as central Illinois remains in a late-summer heat wave. An excessive heat warning for much of central Illinois has been extended to Friday and temperatures are likely to approach record highs later in the week.

Heat warning extended for central Illinois

The National Weather Service in Lincoln extended the heat warning Tuesday for areas south of Interstate 74, including Morgan, Cass, Menard, Logan, Sangamon, Christian, Macoupin, and Montgomery counties, until 10 p.m. Friday. Temperatures are likely to exceed 95 degrees through the end of the week.

Those high temperatures will be paired with extreme humidity, enough to push heat indices up over the 110-degree mark. For Wednesday, high temperatures are expected to hit 96 degrees in Springfield – five degrees below the record high for Aug. 23 set at 101 degrees in 1936, according to NWS. As for the heat index, it hit 112 degrees as of 12:52 p.m. at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport – dangerously hot conditions that could put the elderly and young children, at risk of heat illnesses.

Thursday's forecast is expected to be even warmer, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees – just shy of the 101-degree record for Aug. 24 set in 1936 and 1947. Heat indices could also hit 113 degrees. The dangerous heat will continue into Friday, with temperatures reaching 95 degrees, but with a slightly lower heat index.

Trying to keep cool in the midst of the heat

With the extent of the heat, places like the Washington Street Mission can be an oasis for those who struggle to find a good place to stay cool.

Angelia Beard is one of those people. She lives in Springfield in her car, a place that can be none too kind on a sweltering summer day.

"All the heat is really bad," Beard said. "It doesn't have (air conditioning). It has a broken window, in fact, so I can't leave my car too long."

She's thankful for the Washington Street Mission, providing not just shelter on a hot day, but also a place that helped to begin her recovery from drug addiction.

"These lovely people have helped me get into treatment – I went through Gateway (Foundation) for the very first time," Beard said. "I have not picked up heroin since. I am here on a daily, weekly basis to their AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings. Anything that needs to be done, I am willing to help out. There's a way (out)."

For operations manager Davis, while the weather outside is atypical, they're just doing what they do on a daily basis – try to build relationships with the homeless and shake the stigma.

"We're trying to build community with them," Davis said. "The reason we do what we do is so they'll have some hope and have some faith in people and we do that by supporting them every day. When you see a homeless person, it's somebody's father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, daughter (or) son. They're not disposable people, they're not all quitters."

Kim Ayers, director of administration and community relations at the mission, agreed, saying that it wasn't just a place that threw their doors open and let people in. Rather, they worked with them and gave them a place to go, both when it's hot and when it's cold.

"We want to collaborate that community with them to build trust with them, that they will be finding hope here and that hope will lead people to seek services," Ayers said. "That's the biggest thing – we really try to establish relationships with the community members that come here."

Fairgrounds farmers market called off

The heat has led to one significant event casualty for Thursday, as the weekly Illinois Product Farmers Market at the Illinois State Fairgrounds has been canceled for this week due to the hot conditions.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture cited the need to protect customers, vendors and staff as a key reason why they have called off this week's event.

The farmers market will resume, weather permitting, on Aug. 31.

Hospitals report heat-related illnesses

With Springfield city workers out and about on the job Wednesday, the city is adjusting schedules in order to ensure safety during the hottest parts of the day.

Sabin said that the city's divisions are making adjustments to hours along with providing what's needed to keep workers hydrated and safe. In addition, she said that the Springfield Fire Department was rotating responders out of incidents in order for firefighters not to get overheated during extended periods of operation and the Springfield Police Department said that they were reminding their officers to keep themselves cool and hydrated while they were out on duty.

SFD and SPD also will be on the lookout for anyone needing assistance as a result of the heat. Sabin said that she was hopeful people would follow the advice of public health professionals to keep cool.

"Public safety is key," Sabin said. "We hope all take in the seriousness of the heat warnings and follow the tips that public health and medical providers recommend, in particular too for the more vulnerable to dehydration and exposure — those that are ill, infants, and older populations.

SFD says the best advice is for the public to stay hydrated, and not to do activities outside during excessive heat warnings. Any that must be outside are encouraged to stay out of the sun and take frequent rest periods."

Sabin also said that CWLP would not disconnect non-paying customers from their electric services this week due to the heat wave. As the heat will make air conditioning and other services run harder, Sabin said that people should try to find ways to reduce usage when they could and check on anything blocking their AC unit.

"Residents can check to make sure debris, leaves and nothing else is blocking air flow to an air conditioning unit," Sabin said. "Some recommend shading a unit but keeping air flow optimal is most important."

Local hospitals are also starting to treat patients suffering from the effects of the heat wave.

According to Memorial Health, 10 people had been admitted over the past three days due to the heat. None of the conditions were serious enough to keep them hospitalized.

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What to do if you have to be in the heat

NWS recommends that people stay in an air-conditioned area while drinking plenty of fluids and staying out of the sun. If a person has to go outside, officials recommend that it be done in the early morning or evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.

For those working outside, NWS recommends wearing loose, lightweight, and lightly colored clothing while taking frequent breaks in the shade or going inside to air-conditioning.

With the hot conditions comes an increased risk of heat stroke. Experts advise keeping a close watch for symptoms, such as dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.

Call 911 if a person exhibits signs of heat stroke. Also, move the person to a cooler area, loosen clothing, remove any extra layers, and cool them down with water or ice while waiting for emergency services.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Heat indices expected to top 110 degrees; heat warning extended t