Heat wave sweeps through Chicago as first responders, pets and more seek relief
CHICAGO — Chicago’s first heat wave of 2024 has everyone from city first responders to furry companions trying to stay cool.
Bayleigh Poy’s four-month-old golden retriever Riley isn’t used to the extreme heat yet, but attempts to cool off at Fred Anderson Dog Park in the South Loop weren’t all bad.
“When we’re walking down the street, she tries to go in the shade as much as she can,” Poy told WGN News on Monday. “She just finished getting all of her shots, so this is the first time she’s really been out. She’s loving it, but she’s very hot.”
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Fellow dog owner Brooke Hungerford also shared advice on how she planned to keep her pet cooled off amid warm temperatures.
“Just minimize the time at the park,” she said. “They can still come out for about 20-30 minutes, but as you see, we have pools. They can go in and cool off and stay hydrated.”
Just down the block, Chicago firefighters took a break from the heat after responding to a fire on the CTA Orange and Green line tracks.
The city advised those who work outdoors, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with asthma to be aware of the dangers of the extreme heat.
Two brothers, Luke and Miles Guist, sought a reprieve from the heat at the Wrightwood Park Pool, one of 50 that opened in the city on Monday.
“When I eventually got to go into the pool, it felt like heaven to me,” Luke Guist said.
Twenty-seven indoor pools also opened, along with splash pads—all accessible six days a week through Labor Day, thanks to increased lifeguards. Also opening back up after a four-year closure on Monday was the city’s only inland beach in Humboldt Park.
The beach reopening was good news for beachgoer Alex Neioo.
“The traffic, the kids, they don’t do the best in the car. This is a lot closer for us,” Neioo said.
Beachgoer Francine Brown also praised the reopening of Humboldt Park beach.
“A lot of them are further away, like Promotonry Point and all those places,” she said. “But it’s also pretty nice because it’s pretty small, and it’s not that deep either, and the water feels really nice.”
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