SARA McCUNEBy:

Hot and humid temperatures Tuesday sent Bradfordians running for
cover – and air conditioning – in restaurants, the library or
work.

“It’s unbearable,” said Gary Cole. “I’m in an air-conditioned
room all day, then I get out to my car and it’s so hot. All the
air-conditioning does is bring in hot air from outside.”

An excessive heat warning is scheduled to be in effect until 8
p.m. today and throughout Thursday afternoon with highs around 100
degrees. A cold front is expected to push through Thursday night or
Friday, cooling things off for the weekend.

Residents are being asked to check on the elderly and make sure
pets have adequate water and shade.

In the meantime, people are left to deal with the heat.

At Burger King, Kayla Stern said the air-conditioning makes no
difference while she’s working.

Over at Perkins Restaurant, Kait Ryan said she was sweating
while sitting at her cousin’s house, which has no
air-conditioning.

Elsewhere, people are taking measures to avoid the heat.
Families have been hanging out at the Bradford Area Public Library,
according to Denise Pitts, associate librarian.

“Dad can come in and read the paper. Mom can go do crafts and
the kids can play in the playroom,” she said. According to Pitts,
anywhere from 70 to 100 people can be in the library on hot days,
many of them admitting they’re only there for the
air-conditioning.

A receptionist at the Bradford Ecumenical Home said senior
citizens were being kept inside, playing games like Pokeno all
day.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Safford, the resident services coordinator
at the Bradford Manor, said residents there were given plenty of
ice water and popsicles to avoid dehydration. Their fluid intake
was also being monitored.

Cory Dean, who was working in a yard on Derrick Road, said the
late afternoon tends to be the hottest.

“Just drink lots of water,” he said in reference to dealing with
the heat. Other suggestions from people included swimming, staying
inside or in the shade and blasting air conditioners and fans.

While some people can’t stand the heat, others say they don’t
mind it that much.

“I like it; we’ll remember this in December and January,” said
Jay Kahle.

“Think about the soldiers in Iraq. This has to be nothing
compared to what they have to endure,” added Jacki Kahle.

At Perkins, Andrea Venezia admitted she enjoyed working in an
air-conditioned building, but also said the heat isn’t bothering
her.

“This is nice. We only had two hot days last year,” she
said.

Bruce Cauvel isn’t bothered by the heat either.

“I used to work in San Diego doing underground utilities work,
and it wasn’t unusual to see the temperature hit 100 to 110 degrees
or higher,” he said. “It can stay like this all through winter so I
don’t have to shovel snow.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
Web site, ways to beat the heat include staying in air conditioned
areas, drinking lots of fluids with no alcohol and low sugar,
replace salt and minerals lost through sweating and wear light
clothing and sunscreen.

It also suggests scheduling outdoor activities for cooler times
of the day, pacing working or playing outdoors and using a buddy
system, letting your body adjust to the temperature, to not leave
children or pets in cars and to use common sense when dealing with
heat.

Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, paleness,
muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea
or vomiting and fainting. Victims should be taken to a cool area
and given non-alcoholic fluids. Signs of heat stroke are similar,
but include high body temperature, red, hot, dry skin with no
sweating, a rapid, strong pulse, confusion and unconsciousness.
Victims should cooled down as quickly as possible by any means
including placing in a bathtub full of cool water or being sprayed
with a garden hose and given fluids.

Medical assistance is needed and if paramedics do not arrive
fast enough call a hospital and ask to what to do next.

Others, however, are already looking ahead.

The skate park at Hanley Park was empty while teenagers hid in
the shade amongst the swings and slides.

“We need to get some snow up here or something,” said Erica
Siffrin, 15.