How we actually stay cool in the heat - and are we doing it well?

Will county — Remember the old saying about being hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk?

Cassie Krasuski of Plainfield said she has actually cooked an egg on the sidewalk when she lived in Arizona.

But she didn’t eat it, Krasuski said.

“I just broke it on the sidewalk and watched it cook,” Krasuski said.

The Farmer’s Almanac said you need a sidewalk temperature of 160 degrees to fry that egg; so it wasn’t quite that hot, not even at the Joliet Airport, which registered a heat index of 115 degrees at 6:15 p.m. June 13, according to the National Weather Service.

Nor were many people treated for any heat-related illnesses these past few days.

Deb Robbins, spokeswoman for Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, said one person was treated for heat exhaustion in the emergency department. One person was also treated for a heat-related illness in the emergency department at Edward Hospital in Naperville, according to spokesman Keith Hartenberger.

Morris Hospital didn’t have anyone come to the ER for a heat-related illness, spokeswoman Janet Long said.

Allison Anderson, director of the Will County Emergency Management Agency, said it was unknown how many people, if any, used the cooling centers listed on the agency’s website.

Anderson said the agency simply places the independent cooling centers on their site so people can find them in one convenient location. The agency doesn’t actually monitor their usages, she said.

It’s also likely the cooling centers aren’t monitoring anyone either, since they are public buildings, Anderson said. For instance, someone using a library to cool down, may just stop in, grab a book and read for a while, she said.

“They [public agencies] may or may not know they’re there to cool off,” Anderson said.

Also, some people don’t want to admit they need a cooling station, especially if they actually have air conditioning but their electricity has been shut off.

“Sometimes it’s embarrassing when you can’t pay the bills,” Anderson said.

If that’s the case, the Will County Emergency Management Agency can make the referral to an agency that helps get the electric service restored, she said.

In the meantime, Will County residents are using a variety of strategies for staying cool. Kathleen Ellinger of Joliet said she is staying inside (with the air conditioning on) and drinking lots of water. Joan Rolih of Joliet said she is spending time in her pool.

Dale Hansen of Plainfield, a runner, said he is skipping the running for now and walking in the morning. Pat Perrier of Crest Hill just heads for the basement.

“My granny had a huge ping-pong table down there and we would play for hours,” Perrier said. “Now, though, I just make sure I have a fan and stay inside as much as I can.”

Maureen Blevins of New Lenox recalled her childhood summer days on Joliet’s East side without any air conditioning.

“We’d sit outside in the shade,” Blevins said, “and hope for a breeze.”

Of course, the human body, in most cases, does its part to stay cool, too.

Dr. Silvio Morales, a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Silver Cross Hospital and former chief of Silver Cross’ medical staff, said sweating helped cool the body down when the body’s core temperature goes up.

That’s why people feel can feel cold when coming out of a warm shower – or why they feel cold when their skin is wet and they stand near a fan, Morales said.

That’s also why people need to drink more on hot days, to replenish fluids they’ve lost, Morales said. However, staying hydrated by itself will not cool down the body.

But because sweating is so important to cooling down, two subsets of people are more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke: the very young and the very elderly, he said. In both cases, the body temperature doesn’t regulate very well.

For everyone, “common sense” is helpful for staying safe in the heat.

“You want to wear light-colored clothing if possible and certain time outdoors at peak time,” Morales said. “If you can’t limit those – because it’s occupational and you have to be out in the heat – it’s important to be able to get into the shade to take breaks, if possible, and have access to cooler spaces. And stay hydrated.”

Morris Hospital also suggested avoiding hot and heavy meals, limiting outdoor activity to the coolest times of day (morning and evening) and drinking plenty of fluids regardless of activity level – unless your doctor gas advised you otherwise. And do not leave pets or any person of any page inside a parked car.

The good news? Will County should get a reprieve from the heat over Father’s Day weekend before temperatures soar again on Monday.