Fresno Heat Wave Preparations | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Monday, May 18, 2009

Fresno, CA That's why they want to make sure everyone is prepared.

Triple digit temperatures kept Fresno firefighters busy Sunday. They responded to two separate medical aid calls related to the heat.

One, involving an elderly woman. The other, a little boy who passed out after skateboarding through his central Fresno neighborhood.

"And that just punctuates the folks who are most vulnerable, who we are worried about, the very young and the elderly." Ken Shockley, with the Fresno Fire Department said they want to make sure people are prepared to deal with the current heat wave.That includes drinking lots of water, avoiding exercise outside, and finding air conditioning, whenever possible.

"If you don't have access to air conditioning and all you have is a ceiling fan and swamp coolers, you need to get someplace where there is air conditioning, a mall, city cooling centers, the movies, something of that nature."

But some people found other ways to stay cool.

Mary Uclaray of Las Vegas, says, "The weather is crazy right now. Just like global warming I guess, whatever. But just being here, cooling off is just fun."

The Island Water Park in Northwest Fresno was packed Sunday. But it was reserved for a private company party, leaving dozens of people disappointed.

Still, Island Water Park employee, Terry Mackey says the unusually warm temperatures have been keeping them busy. "Normally we don't open until this time every year, but this year, we opened the first week of April.

Whys that?

Because of the heat and because we've got a lot of new activities."

The two heat related victims were treated, and are said to be doing fine. Fire officials say the most important tip they have for people over the next few days is to drink lots of water.