Some residents spent time cooling off while shopping at the Dayton Mall on Wednesday.
Vicki Phillabaum, who lives outside Germantown, said she’s worried about her pets. “(It’s affected) my animals. My dog gets really hot, I have to worry about him.”
Dayton resident Donica Harris said she is concerned about the patient she cares for.
“It hasn’t affected me physically, but it has affected my plants,” she said. “I’m also a caretaker and the heat is affecting her (my patient’s) quality of life.”
The heat wave, which caused local officials to declare a heat warning Wednesday, will continue until a cold front comes through the region on Saturday.
News Center 7 meteorologist Erica Collura said the front will bring showers and possible thunderstorms. Sunday will be less humid and less hot, with highs near 80, she said.
“The most important thing to know in a heat wave like this is recognizing the signs of heat-related illness,” Collura said. “Know your body and recognize how it’s reacting to the heat.”
In the past few days, about 10 people have come to Kettering Health Network hospitals because of heat-related illnesses, according to spokeswoman Elizabeth Long. At Miami Valley Hospital, a few patients had come in with heat-exhaustion symptoms, said spokeswoman Nancy Thickel.
Collura said people should watch for dizziness, fainting, nausea, headaches or cramps. She advised drinking plenty of water, wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing and avoiding strenous activities outdoors. She also said people should check on their pets regularly.
The bad part is that temperatures don’t go much lower than the 70s at night, she said.
“So people without AC are at danger the most,” Collura said. “That’s why there are cooling centers.”
HEAT WAVE AFFECTS MANY THROUGHOUT REGION
- A Dayton Power & Light map showed 1,004 without power in Greene County Wednesday afternoon. DP&L officials said that about 3 p.m., a dump truck hit equipment along Dayton-Xenia Road and brought down a power line. There was no word on expected restoration Wednesday afternoon.
- The heat was driving purchases at the Home Depot in Miamisburg, where people were buying hoses, air conditioners and fans, according to a manager at the store. He said that the store had sold out of a couple of models of air conditioners.
- Local grocery stores, such as Lofino's Marketplace in Beavercreek and the Kroger's on East Stroop Road in Kettering, said they did not experience any changes in sales for water. "We always sell a lot of water," said manager Kirk Richardson.
- The heat was causing air conditioners to run harder than usual, then break down, said Fred Metz, parts manager at William Brockman & Sons, which specializes in air conditioner and heating maintenance. "It is causing a lot of the units to fail," Metz said. This is particularly true for units that have not been maintained properly, Metz said. "They're just getting hot and they're wearing out."
- Roofing companies were still sending workers out on job, according to officials at Copeland Roofing and Siding in Beavercreek and Command Roofing Co. in Moraine. Mike Davis, vice president at Command, said that all job sites are supplied with water and ice, and the roofers are encouraged to use wet towels or neckerchiefs and to take frequent breaks in the shade. During the summer, roofers tend to start work at daylight because the temperatures are lower in the morning, and during the heat wave, roofers might stop work earlier than usual, Davis said.
- A rare phenomenon was visible Tuesday night, as area residents reported seeing funnel clouds. Those funnels, called cold-core funnels, occur on very hot and humid days when the air rises so fast that the rising air starts to spin, according to News Center 7 meteorologist Jamie Simpson. The funnels rarely touch the ground, and if they do, do not cause damage, Simpson said, adding that "so if anyone sees one it may be the only time in their life they may do so."
- A power outage that closed a number of businesses at the Washington Township Square shopping center on Tuesday was fixed by Wednesday morning. "We only close two days of the year, being Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Five Guys Burgers and Fries General Manager Jared Pierce. "So for us to lose an entire day like that, it can be a big blow."
- Dayton officials also extended swimming hours at Fairview Outdoor Swimming pool, 2262 Elsmere Ave., which will be 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Saturday. The pool usually closes at 6 p.m.
- Another option for Dayton residents will be the spray parks, which are open from 9 a.m. until dusk. Those parks are
• Fairview Spray Park; 2262 Elsmere Ave.
• Five Oaks Spray Park; 329 Five Oaks Ave.
• Mallory Spray Park; 3037 Germantown St.
• McIntosh Spray Park; 882 W. Riverview Ave.
• Stuart Patterson Spray Park; 238 Baltimore St.
• Walnut Hills Spray Park; 2340 Wayne Ave.
• Washington Spray Park; 3620 E. Second St.
Cooling centers established throughout the Miami Valley
- The Washington Township Recreation Center, 895 Ohio 725, will serve as a cooling center during regular business hours, which are Wednesday and Friday 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Centerville Police Department, 155 Spring Valley Road, will serve as a cooling center and is open 24 hours a day.
- Miamisburg officials have designated the Miamisburg Senior Adult Center, 305 E. Central Ave., as a cooling center. The center is open until 9 p.m. and pools will be open at normal times.
- The Kettering Recreation Complex, 2900 Glengarry Drive, also will serve as a cooling center. Kettering officials also said they are calling senior citizens known to be fragile to check on them. If they did not respond, officials would go to their houses.
- The city of Dayton activated its heat emergency plan Wednesday afternoon, designating the Greater Dayton Recreation Center, 2021 W. Third St., the Lohrey Recreation Center and Belmont Pool, 2366 Glenarm Ave. and Northwest Recreation Center, 1600 Princeton Dr., as cooling centers. Hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
- In Vandalia, two cooling centers were designated: the Vandalia Recreational Center, 1111 Stonequarry Road and the Vandalia Senior Citizen Center, 21 Tionda Drive.
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