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TEMP TROUBLE HIGH WITH MUCH HEAT, LITTLE RAIN

By Marilyn K. James/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:36 PM CDT

With high temperatures and little rainfall, the National Weather Service is cautioning people to take precautions against the heat as the heat index rises to nearly 105 degrees in some areas. High temperatures have even caused Jefferson County officials to implement a burn ban until further notice.

Meanwhile, some local officials are providing resources to keep the elderly and homeless from becoming victims of the heat.

Major Michael Barnhouse, director of at the Salvation Army, 501 E. 12th Ave., at Pine Bluff, has seen an influx of people within the neighborhood entering the building to use the water fountain in the building’s lobby and for some relief from the heat.

“Individuals come in and drink water, then sit down and cool off a minute,” Barnhouse stated.

So far the Salvation Army has given six fans to elderly people, although Barnhouse emphasized, fans are not limited to just the elderly.

Although Barnhouse has not seen an increase in the number of people who visit for the free meals offered at the center, dinner is open to anyone in the community.

Charlotte England, executive director of Neighbor to Neighbor, said the agency has also distributed fans, which have been donated by local businesses, to help people stay cool.

Neighbor to Neighbor also lends a helping hand on a regular basis which includes providing assistance in paying utility bills, serving daily hot lunches, helping with prescription drugs and giving monthly supplemental bags of food.

The Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas specializes in caring for elderly and disabled clients.

“One of our high priorities is checking on the elderly,” said Cynda Piper, community relations spokeswoman for Area Agency.

Although the agency has staff who care for clients in their homes regularly, Piper said the elderly are also checked on when food is delivered daily.

Area Agency also sponsors a fan drive to collect fans for people in need.

“The Attorney General's office and other businesses assisted in the fan drive. People come into the office everyday needing fans,” Piper continued. “The fans are distributed according to their needs. Everyone in the community is working trying to care for the elderly,” she said.

The agency also offers a cool place for the elderly to socialize and dine daily at the Bradshaw Senior Citizen Center and the center in Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Piper said she has seen an increase in the Bradshaw center on Eighth Avenue.

“They currently have a new program called line dancing. I don't know if the increase is due to the new program or attributed to the high temperatures,” she said.

“At 8 a.m., many people are already waiting for the doors to open,” Piper said.

The Southeast Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross offers tips to people to help them stay cool.

Drink plenty of water regularly and often to keep the body cool; eat small meals often; avoid foods high in protein, which increase metabolic heat and avoid using salt tablets. These are a few tips offered via a brochure entitled “Heat Wave” distributed by Red Cross and FEMA.

Donna Booth Johnson, director of the Red Cross, said family members need to discuss what to do in case of a heat wave. The brochure, created by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), basically defines terms associated with heat waves, gives tips on what to do if a heat wave is predicted or happening; signs of heat emergencies and local contact information.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Pine Bluff area today. With mostly cloudy skies, highs are to be near 95 and heat index values as high as 102.

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