'Almost Unbearable': Heat Wave Becomes Official In Boston
BOSTON (CBS) --Another day of unbearably hot temperatures in Boston is keeping splash parks busy as parents and grandparents do their best to keep their kids cool.
"I am staying on the shade of course," Marilyn Allman of Providence said.
"Almost unbearable. It's nice it feels good but definitely very hot today," said Suki Stiles, a nurse at Mass General Hospital.
She's enjoying the day with her daughter but being extra cautious. "Definitely important to drink a lot of water. Heatstroke is real. It can land you in the ER so it's very important to stay hydrated and cool and stay out of the hospitals if you can," Suki said.
Boston EMS told WBZ-TV a heat wave on top of a pandemic is very challenging to navigate as they respond to emergency calls.
"If they are getting dehydrated or getting ill, there is more of a demand on 911, there's more of a demand on then the emergency rooms that could be competed with patients who may very well have COVID," Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley said.
On Sunday, more than 200 people were transferred for heat-related incidences.
"Once we get into the 90s it's not unusual to see about a 20% bump in our overall call rate. So we try to match that by putting extra personnel on," Hooley said.
The city's heat emergency allows for cooling stations to open up but temporarily suspends youth programming at these locations.
Sweltering heat even made it uncomfortable for beachgoers. On Monday, it seemed like many folks avoided the beach in South Boston.
