Photo by George Chandrinos on Unsplash

It's not like it's never been hot here, but, at the same time, the heatwave that is hitting southwest Michigan is a bit extreme, especially for mid-June, with forecasters expecting, if not triple-digit air temperatures, then triple-digits heat indices.

If you're in an extremely hot location, there are several options, but all the Kalamazoo Public Library branches are available to cool yourself or if you are caring for young children or elderly people. A banner across the top of the KPL website says it best:

  • The main branch at 315 South Rose Street will be open from 9am until 8pm on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • The Alma Powell branch at 1000 W. Paterson St. is open Tuesday 1pm- 8pm and Wednesday 1p-6pm.
  • Eastwood is open 1pm to 6pm both days.
  • Oshtemo at 7265 W. Main St. is open 10a-8p both days.
  • Washington Square at 1244 Portage St. is open 1pm -8pm.

Meanwhile, Ascension-Borgess sent out some tips from tips from Dr. Mark Miller, D.O,  head of Emergency Medicine at Borgess:

An important thing to do is keep drinking water. As much as you can handle in this heat. Miller says the body has several ways to deal with excess heat. The first way is through the skin by releasing internal heat to the surface. The second way is through breathing, where body-temperature air is exhaled and replaced by cooler, inhaled air. The third, and most important, is through sweating. Water in sweat evaporates, taking heat with it and cooling the skin.

 

The worst of it is heat stroke, where the body's cooling systems become overwhelmed. The body temperature rises, individuals experience a rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, sometimes decreased sweating and significant mental status changes occur. Immediate medical treatment is needed to prevent any permanent brain and organ injury, coma and death - Dr. Mark Miller, DO at Ascension-Borgess.

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