High Temperatures Prompt PCA to Activate Heatline

by KYW's Kim Glovas

Philadelphia seniors have a place to call if they are having trouble dealing with the heat. The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging has activated its heat line.

The heat line-- 215-765-9040--  will be in operation Monday until midnight, when the heat is expected to break.

PCA also has advice for staying cool until comfortable temperatures return. The agency's Heidi Gambino says the first thing people should do is use common sense and get out of the heat, and into air conditioning, or turn on a fan with the windows open.

She explains the warning signs of heat stress:

"Loss of energy, loss of appetite, faintness, light-headedness, (a rash) on your skin, heat cramps, heavy sweating, thirst, confusion, even giddiness, headache, nausea. Sometimes people don't realize... they think, 'Oh, I'm just feeling a little under the weather because of the heat,' but (the things on) that list are actually warning signs that you could be going into heat stress."

The PCA has a medical nurse and mobile teams ready to respond if medical attention is necessary.

Gambino says people are generally calling for advice, or to report that they haven't seen a neighbor in a day or so:

"They're concerned because they know the neighbor has an air conditioner and they can't hear it running. Or-- one of the biggest problems we have is people who have fans yet they're closing all their windows, creating a convection oven effect in their homes-- and people are sometime aware of that now and they're saying, 'Hey I see fans running but there's no windows open. We need someone to check on our neighbors.'"