Beat the heat, or embrace it: Advice from around the sweltering country
Experts from hot cities gave us their tips for surviving the heatwave
It's so hot in AZ, Tiktoker cooks variety of food on car dashboard
It's so hot in Arizona, a Tiktok influencer is experimenting cooking in his car and is getting tons of attention.
More than 40 million of us across the country are or will be under heat warnings and advisories over the next few days. FOX Weather checked in with a few FOX stations to see how they were dealing with the heat.
Embrace the heat
Hungry for lunch? Get your dashboards ready. FOX 10 Phoenix found a viewer who cooks in his car, literally. He started a TikTok series in April and has so far baked cakes, fried burgers, cooked bacon and pancakes on the dashboard of his car.
"I usually put it in my car around 11 a.m.," Joe Brown said, "Around two or three I come back, take it out of the car and make a video. It’s usually three to four hours."
He posts all his cooking tips and reviews. He said he would definitely make the car cinnamon buns again.
"When I was younger they used to say you can cook an egg on the sidewalk it was so hot in Arizona," said Brown, but he wanted to put his own spin on it. "On the roof is what really clicked, but then I realized it gets so hot in my car, I bought a temperature gun, and it soars to over 200 degrees in my car."
Combat the heat
FOX 10 found other Arizonans who didn’t quite embrace the heat as much as Brown. They try to beat it.
Working outside when the mercury hits 100
FOX 10 Phoenix takes a look at how Arizonans bear to work outside above the century mark.
"Our guys that are paving the roads… the pavement is coming out at 290 degrees, out of the back of the truck," said Sunland Asphalt and Construction Safety Manager, Joe Zaleski. "So they are feeling that. If it’s 110, it’s difficult."
Crews sometimes start at three or four in the morning to work during the coolest time of the day. Sunland provides plenty of water with added electrolytes and a shaded area at each site and encourages breaks.
Lance Wilson stands over a grill in the Phoenix heat every day. The food truck owner turns to technology to stay cool.
"I’m a native, we figured it out. We’ve got an A/C unit and swamp cooler fans," Wilson said. "When it’s 112 outside, it’s 120 in there if we don’t have the right equipment."
Phoenix Parks and Rec keep the city safe by closing the gates. They are closing some of their hiking trails during the heat of the day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to cut down on the number of rescues and keep those crews out of the heat.
Train for the heat
FOX 40 Sacramento found firefighters who actually train for the heat.
How firefighters manage heatwaves
FOX 40 Sacramento talked to firefighters to find out how they deal with 100 degree days.
"I frequent saunas. I train in the sauna. I wear gear and train at altitude," said Captain Jordan Oakes of Metro Fire. "There’s a multitude of ways to get acclimated to this kind of heat.
He also avoids caffeine and alcohol when he is not on duty as well as pre-hydrates before his shift.
"You really feel the thickness of this material… It doesn’t breathe and its heavy," Oakes explained. "If you aren’t hydrated prior to wearing this, you are going to suffer the effects of heat injury very quickly."
Don't forget about the pets
FOX 26 Houston didn’t forget about man’s best friend. Reuben Dominguez was in the Doghouse, a local groomer. It turns out not every dog needs a summer buzz cut, it depends on the breed. Dogs like golden retrievers and huskies just need to be brushed to thin their second coat. Dog fur and hair is part of their cooling system.
KEEPING YOUR FURRY FRIEND SAFE AND HEALTHY AS TEMPERATURES RISE
Getting pups ready for the heat
FOX 26 Houston reporter Reuben Dominguez finds out what you can do to make your dogs more comfortable in the heat.
"Dogs don't sweat like we do. They do sweat through the paw pads. And that painting that you see all the time that creates an evaporative process," said Doghouse owner, Jeff Davis. "It cools down the body and lining in the lungs."
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The most important advice he had was don’t walk pets in the middle of the day.
"If you ever had a question, take your shoes and socks off and go walk around the streets of Houston and see how hot it is," he said.
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And, never leave your pets alone in the car. On a 100-degree day, the inside of a car can hit 129 degrees in just 20 minutes, according to the Arizona Humane Society.
Heat safety
We also need to take care of ourselves in the heat. FOX 26 Houston taught us that a ‘feels like’ temperature of 100 degrees could escalate from heat exhaustion to heat stroke in less than 30 minutes.
HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEATSTROKE
Heat exhaustion can escalate to heat stroke in less than 30 minutes
What is heat exhaustion? FOX 26 Houston tells us and explains how it can turn to heat stroke quickly.
Excessive sweating, a rapid or weak pulse, nausea, lightheadedness and shortness of breath are signs of heat exhaustion. If you vomit or have a rapid, strong pulse you may have heat stroke, and it’s time to call 9-1-1.
Your local forecast on the FOX Weather app shows the feels like temperature where you live. Watch FOX Weather on TV or check out FOXWeather.com to see if your area is under a heat advisory. Stay cool this weekend.