Outdoor laborers look for ways to beat summer heat.
By: Lea Kahn
When temperatures climb and the humidity soars, few people want to be installing a new roof or harvesting crops in the middle of a sun drenched farm field.
But that’s where Frank Higman and Lisa Schelling found themselves this week, as the thermometer pushed past the 90-degree mark and the relative humidity nearly matched it.
"It’s not easy at all. Today is worse than yesterday (because of the humidity)," said Mr. Higman, who was taking a break from his job installing a new roof on the Lawrenceville Elementary School on Craven Lane on Tuesday morning.
Ms. Schelling, an intern at Cherry Grove Organic Farm on Carter Road, said the farmers divide the chores, working the fields in the morning and then moving indoors to handle other chores in the afternoon when it gets too hot.
"We try to get most of the ‘sunny’ work (in the fields) done in the morning," she said. "In the afternoon, we work in the barns. We plant seeds for the fall crops, like cauliflower and broccoli, in trays."
Although Mr. Higman and Ms. Schelling work at different elevations on the roof and on the ground they both agree that drinking plenty of water is key to surviving the heat. Ms. Schelling favors cotton clothing, and she also believes in wearing a hat.
For Mr. Higman, keeping cool means soaking a cloth in water and putting it on his head. It’s nice and cold, he said.
The roofer and farm intern had plenty of opportunities to use their tried-and-true methods to keep cool this week, as the temperature began to climb into the 90s Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. It peaked in Lawrence at 93 degrees Monday and Tuesday. Nighttime temperatures were in the low 70s both of those nights, the NWS reported on its Web site.
The NWS also issued heat advisories in conjunction with the high temperatures, cautioning people to be careful. The average daytime temperature for July is 85 degrees, and the evening temperature is 67 degrees, according to the NWS.
Township Health Officer Carol Chamberlain offered tips for keeping cool. "Make sure you have a cool place to go to and make sure you have plenty of water to drink," she said. "It’s important to check on elderly neighbors (who are more susceptible to heat) to make sure they are taking steps to stay cool and hydrated."
Ms. Chamberlain advised against strenuous activities, and suggested staying indoors during the hottest part of the day. Seeking out an air-conditioned environment, such as a library or shopping mall, is a good idea for people who do not have air conditioning at home, she said.
Excessive heat can trigger several heat-related illnesses, ranging from heat rash to heat stroke, according to the Center for Disease Control’s Web site.
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating and usually occurs in young children, the CDC Web site indicated.
Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat heavily during strenuous activities, because sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture. Heat cramps also can be a symptom of heat exhaustion, which occurs after several days of exposure to excessive heat, according to the CDC Web site.
Heat stroke results when the body is unable to regulate its temperature, the Web site noted. It can cause death or permanent disability if it is not treated immediately. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body cannot cool down. The body temperature could rise to 106 degrees or higher within 10 or 15 minutes.
Mr. Higman said Tuesday the heat certainly takes its toll. The roofing shingles reflect the heat, which makes it even hotter on the roof.
"You have to tough it out," he said. "You deal with it or you go home. A lot of times, we work overtime, but not today. It’s too hot."

