Bryan Stewart

Richmond County Daily Journal

Every year summer months in North Carolina bring high temperatures and this year is no exception as a two-day heat wave will be pushing triple digits early this week.

“Heat can take a lot out of you,” said Frank McKay, Richmond County Emergency Management Director, “so, stay out of it if you can.”

Forecasters predict temperatures should reach 100 degress in some areas and heat indexes throughout the area may even exceed that.

According to McKay, three major occurences with excessive exposure to high temperatures are:

Heat cramps - Heat cramps feel like intense muscle cramps which can be remedied by drinking liquid and masaging the muscle.

Heat exhaustion - A major sign of heat exhaustion is when one begins to feel overly fatigued and dizzy. As with heat cramps, it is advised one rests and drinks plenty of liquids.

Heat stroke - With heat stroke being a true emergency, according to McKay, a person will no longer prespire and their body temperature will rise. If not treated, heat stroke can cause brain damage to an individual. If someone is suffering a heat stroke, cool them off anyway possible and get them into an air-conditioned room or into shade.

For some being outdoors is unavoidable and with the construction of the new Richmond Coutny Judicial Center, work has not slowed due to the high temeratures.

“The main thing to try to maintain is a safe pace,” Joe Jackson, project superintendent over the judicial center said.

Due to the heat, some of employees working on the site have a work day beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. when the heat is at its highest. All of those working on-site have access to plenty of water and Gatorade supplied by the company on the worksite.

According to Jackson, workers are also urged to take more breaks during the day in order to combat the elevated heat and even special additives are added to the mortar to keep it from setting too quickly.

Some other ways of keeping cool are to wear light colored clothing to reflect sunlight, stay in the shade as much as possible, limit the amount of outdoor activity and try to go out early in the day or later in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to stay near triple digits through today before falling into the the 90s later in the week.