SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — A stifling heat wave in the Mid-South making outdoor work unbearable and dangerous.
Temperatures neared 100 degrees Thursday, and Friday is expected to be even hotter.
Many stayed indoors or in the water, but not everyone had that luxury.
Firefighters were forced to battle flames in Millington Thursday afternoon.
They threw on their heavy gear while the sun came beaming down.
“Also, we are fighting the heat for our firefighters,” said Millington Public Safety Director Gary Graves. “We are having to rotate them out. They are running through water.”
The firefighters downed water, had coolers on standby and rotated frequently.
Meanwhile, paramedics told WREG they spent their day answering heat-related calls. They stocked up on more cold packs and bags of IV fluid.
They said the problem: people aren’t hydrating properly and are exercising or doing yard work in the heat of the day instead of early in the morning or late at night.
Many of you though refused to be outside.
Restaurants in Midtown took note too.
Managers tried to lure customers with misters and signs that read free air conditioning.
Businesses in East Memphis, like MEMPopS, didn’t have to do much enticing.
They’ve been cashing in on Mother Nature all week.
“Heat is a bad thing in general, but for us, no,” said Manager Dana Keene. “Because you think, ‘I’m hot. What do I want? A Popsicle!'”
The good news: it’s not impossible to enjoy this weather.
“We came down just to try to have a cool afternoon. It’s working so far,” said Gaius Thompson, who took his daughters to the sprinklers at Beale Street Landing.
The bad news is you’ve got to bear with it a while longer.
The Heat Advisory lasts until Friday night.
“We may be back tomorrow,” said Thompson.
Paramedics said folks aren’t drinking enough water.
They said if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
