Another day of extreme heat has experts warning people to check in on seniors in their community.
Dr. Cynthia Price from Hartford Hospital said hot weather can impact those most vulnerable, like children and seniors, more than others.
“[Their] bodies just aren't great at staying at the center point like they used to be, and so it's cold outside, [they] get colder if it's hot outside, [they] get hotter,” Dr. Price said. “When you become a little bit more senior status and that ability to auto-regulate kind of goes down a little bit, the ability for your body to figure out what temperature you should be at, you need to do your best to stay safe.”
She encouraged people to check in on their neighbors during these hot weather events.
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“It’s one of the things I think we forget. We should be checking on our neighbors. Those that come outside or those that we might help [with a] meal, not only for our seniors, but the pets of our seniors,” she added.
In Hartford on Wednesday, the fire department’s special services unit was out in the city handing out water to those outside.
"We're like the ice cream truck when we come up,” said Capt. Jose Rivera. “[We] give water to the folks who are outside. That’s the best thing you can do right now for this heatwave is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”
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Rivera said they’ll hit popular spots all over the city, sometimes more than once, to ensure everyone gets water.
“We're just hitting the pockets where we know people like to hang out and just helping them stay hydrated,” he said.
At WestFarms in West Hartford, seniors took to the mall to get their steps in. The air-conditioned mall was a comfortable alternative to the heat.
"I usually walk outdoors, but today I went... left or right? I think I'm going to the mall,” said Matt Nelson of Newington. “I noticed a lot of other people are doing the exactly same thing I'm doing it. Trying to avoid the heat and still getting your exercise."
Spokesperson Amanda Sirica said the mall has a loyal following of walkers. Each floor is approximately ¾ of a mile long.
“The mall walkers come every morning. We open the doors early to the center at 8:30 for them to come and have a safe, climate-controlled area to walk,” Sirica said. "Today, I think a lot of people are beating the heat and coming inside."
People are encouraged to take advantage of the state’s cooling centers should they need refuge. Call 211 for a full list of cooling centers.
