Dangerous heat in the forecast the next few days: Tips to stay safe

VERONA, N.J. -- We're bracing for a heat wave. 

Scorching temperatures are in the forecast the next few days. 

The First Alert Weather Team has set a Yellow Alert for Thursday and Red Alert for Friday due to dangerous heat. 

• Link: Check the forecast

These are the kinds of high temperatures that prove dangerous for anyone without easy access to air conditioning, including people who work outdoors.

"Hell yeah, it's crazy hot. Too hot," one woman said. 

Even before temperatures hit expected triple digits, Giovanni Andrews and his construction worker colleagues felt barbecued and burned out. 

"It's real hot. It is extremely hot," Andrews said. 

Beat the Heat

• CBS New York's Summer Safety Guide
• Doctor's advice on heat safety
• CoolIt NYC: Find a location

Routine activities turned miserable. Commutes that might otherwise have been a breeze were suddenly very uncool, with sidewalks that sizzled and sweltering places underground, like stuffy subway platforms.

Some lucky residents headed to public swimming pools, with plenty of room to spread out and splash. Area beaches were more crowded than usual for a Wednesday.

"Get in the water and just refresh yourself," Pelham Parkway resident Wilfredo Miranda said. 

Miranda felt the melt at Orchard Beach, but before too long he was Jonesing for the air conditioning at home. 

"Stay home if you can, or stay in the office where there is air conditioning. And drink plenty of water," said Dr. Vino Palli, CEO of MiDoctor Health. 

He described some symptoms to watch out for. 

"Heat exhaustion is dizziness, headache and irritability, along with nausea, along with some cramps and feeling very fatigued," Palli said. "Once we start seeing 104- and 106-degree temperatures, that's when we're going to see more heat-related illnesses and we'll see patients coming into our urgent cares and emergency rooms."

Never leave any living thing unattended in a parked car, even for a brief amount of time.

"We need to watch for elderly folks keep them in a cool place, especially with an air conditioner," Palli said. 

Bergen County got a jump start on the opening of various cooling centers today. In New York City centers will be up and running starting Thursday.  

As we brace for the heatwave, it's important to remember some health and safety tips to stay cool. 

Early risers out and about in Verona Park, N.J. had the right idea. 

"We do the exercise early in the morning so we can beat the heat wave," one person said. 

They were getting in their workouts before the temperatures skyrocketed Wednesday. But once the sun was up, more people were wearing hats and sunglasses. Those CBS New York's Zinnia Maldonado spoke to focused on staying hydrated. 

"We have water for the dog, water for the baby, water for myself," one person said. 

"With the baby and the dog, we have to get out sometimes. So we make sure to bring our collapsible bowl for the dog water, for the baby... going to the town pool," Verona resident Jennifer Bell said. 

Some other helpful reminders:

• Stay indoors, or at least in the shade as much as possible
• Pack the sunscreen and wear loose-fitting clothing
• Be a good neighbor - check up on family members or the elderly
• Listen to your body and watch for heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke  
  

If you need a place to cool off, look up a cooling center in your neighborhood. You can also take advantage of public spaces like libraries, shopping centers, or senior centers. 

Don't forget to pay extra care to your furry friend. 

"So, I don't walk him in  the afternoon when it's really hot. I do morning walks and evening walks, and of course I always carry water with me," East Hanover resident Valerie Amoriello said. 

Health officials are urging residents to stay indoors from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. when the sun is at its strongest, and heat strokes are more likely to occur. 

According to a new study released Tuesday, researchers at the World Weather Attribution Group say global warming has increased the likelihood of extreme temperatures so significantly that heat waves as powerful as the ones setting records in places across the U.S. recently could be expected once every 15 years in the region. 

The hottest day ever in New Jersey was recorded back on July 10, 1936 when it was 110 degrees. Temperatures aren't expected to soar that high, but it's still going to be extremely hot.

Stick with CBS New York for the latest forecast and weather alerts.