North Texans look for ways to stay cool during heatwave

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The hottest temperatures are still ahead, but Texans say they are not ready for the heat.

"It's hot, hot. The temperature is just, whew," said Jameya Hughes.

If you're looking for ways to stay cool, splashpads are open in Dallas, McKinney, Weatherford and Carrolton and some folks said they will definitely be taking advantage of them.

Emily Beasley said, "My kids come here. We actually probably come here every summer and they have a blast when they're here. They run through the water and you keep cool."

MedStar says historically, this is one of the busiest times of the year. Since the start of May, they've treated 23 people suffering from the heat. Thirteen of them were taken to the hospital.

Prolonged or intense exposure to hot temperatures can cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, but they can be prevented.

ERCOT is asking Texans to set their thermostats to 78 degrees and avoid using large appliances between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

But that might be easier said than done.

"It's hot. It's going to be hard to conserve some energy," said Amanda Tyson.