Heat? What heat? How DuPage residents battled the heat

It didn’t matter if they were working, playing or just hanging out: just about everybody was scrambling Thursday to keep cool as temperatures climbed near triple digits and threatened a 41-year-old record.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Charles Mott said the Chicago area hit 101 degrees in 1952 and 1971, but a cool front approaching from Wisconsin was keeping us short of the all-time mark.

Whether it was 99 or 101 didn’t really matter, though. It was just darn hot.

It’s paving hot out here

Rick Eichenold, a paving foreman for Mt. Prospect-based Arrow Road Construction, said it was especially important for his crews to stay safe as they laid 300-degree asphalt in Addison.

“Thankfully we’re paving a road today so we’re leaving the heat behind us as opposed to a parking lot where it’s all around you. But the most important thing is make sure everyone stays hydrated and grabs some shade when they can,” he said.

Hoffman Estates-based Plote Construction, Inc. took it a step further and kept it’s entire asphalt laydown crew home Thursday.

Cool collectors

Carol Stream officials asked residents to put out their garbage early Thursday to help waste collectors finish their shifts before temperatures peaked. Chris Oakley, assistant to the village manager, said the village’s refuse company requested the measure because protecting outdoor workers was part of the heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

Oakley said similar measures could be in effect Friday and any other days with temperatures that include a heat index close to 100.

Campers keeping cool

Coaches leading Naperville Unit District 203 summer sports camps increased water breaks both in frequency and duration. They also conducted activities or drills that were less physically demanding. Coaches urged student campers to let them know if they weren’t feeling well.

“Most of our camps are done by noon with the exception of football and weightlifting, which includes only high school athletes,” district spokeswoman Susan Rice said. “The high school coaches follow best practices making modifications to their practice drills and increase observation and breaks when there are high temperatures.”

Tempers flare without A/C

Armbrust Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning in Wheaton has fielded dozens of calls this week asking for crews to come out and fix air conditioners.

John Reed, Armbrust’s installation manager, said more people are putting off repairs until they really need them.

“Some we have to turn away because we’re so busy,” Reed said. “In hot weather, people have the tendency to be short on their patience level. We sympathize. But there are only so many hours in the day.”

Even the pool was 80 degrees

In clear, 80-degree water under decorative palm trees, crowds of Lombard residents cooled off at Paradise Bay Water Park.

“You’ve got to cool off now before it gets really hot,” Jack Peaslee of Lombard said between breaststroke laps.

Sign me up

The oppressive heat didn’t deter Dan Hennessey from standing outside the XSport Fitness on Finley Road in Downers Grove with a sign advertising the health club’s “Buy a year, get a year free” memberships.

“It’s hot, but it’s not bad. It gets us business,” said Hennessey. “The heat doesn’t affect me. I don’t mind it.”

PADS has it covered

The number of people seeking daytime shelter at DuPage PADS’ client services center was higher than usual, but staff members at the homeless services agency were prepared. Just one day earlier, DuPage PADS received a well-timed donation of bottled water, said Carol Simler, the agency’s executive director.

Heat outfoxed at the zoos

Fans, Popsicles, ice cubes, mud pits, temperature checks — suburban zookeepers pulled out all the stops to keep their animals cool in the scorching heat.

Coyotes, raccoons and foxes at Cosley Zoo in Wheaton all had access to their indoor areas, which are enclosed in concrete walls that lock in cooler air, said Angie Dosch, animal collection supervisor.

At Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora, cougars, wolves and otters got to lick a variation on the classic Popsicle — either “meatsicles” or “smeltcicles” made from small, frozen fish, zoo Manager Randy Johnson said.

Hospitals on alert

Thursday’s high temperatures did not produce any major spikes in heat-related illnesses at several DuPage County hospitals, but at least one did have to conserve energy to avoid power problems.

Officials from Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights and Adventist Hinsdale Hospital said their emergency rooms did not see cases of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

But the Hinsdale hospital did receive a notification from its electric company that its electrical grid was under stress, spokeswoman Lisa Parro said. A memo was sent to staff advising them to turn off any unnecessary lights and devices to protect the grid and avoid a system failure.

Frying at the fests

When it comes to high temperatures this weekend at Naperville’s Ribfest, Marketing Chairwoman Julie Lichter said it’s mostly about common sense.

The festival will not provide special accommodations for festival-goers because of the heat, but there will be plenty of water available for purchase. “Our biggest thing is for people to stay hydrated, and not necessarily with alcohol,” Lichter said.

Rescue crews will be on site, she said, and can provide misting fans and air-conditioned areas in case of an emergency.

Hot dogs and other pets

When it’s hot out, the precautions to take for pets are surprisingly similar to the precautions humans should take — stay inside, keep hydrated, look for shade and keep the A/C going.

Veterinarian Tawnia Zollinger from the Animal Medical Clinic of Wheaton said to keep pets inside and make sure they have access to water at all times.

Of course, there are some things different for animals than humans. Zollinger said pet owners can put rubbing alcohol on the pads of their pet’s feet to help them cool down faster. Cats and dogs don’t have sweat glands, she said, so heat escapes through their paws.

Cool deals

Jaminte Magee, a recent College of DuPage graduate, was shopping with his sister and grandmother at the Menard’s in Glendale Heights in hopes of finding a fan to supplement the two other ones — and central air — they have at home.

“We have fans. We just need more fans,” Magee said. “We went shopping for more coolness.”

They came away with a great deal: a 20-inch Aerospeed model, on sale for $20.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writers Elisabeth Mistretta, Christopher Placek, Marie Wilson and Annalisa Rodriguez contributed to this report.