Six-year-old Lazarus, wearing swimming trunks covered with blue sharks and donning blue goggles over his eyes, found his escape from this week’s heat at Festival Park in downtown Elgin.
Running through the water at the park’s splash pad, he happily joined other children as they jumped from geyser to geyser while their parents basked in the shade and the cool mist blowing off the fountains.
Other than seeking out air-conditioned spaces, outdoor water features and pools were the best way to keep cool during the season’s first heat wave, which sent temperatures soaring into the 90s and humidity that made it feel more like 100 to 110 degrees.
The National Weather Service’s extreme heat warning remains in place until midnight Thursday, with a break expected by the time the Fourth of July holiday weekend starts Friday.
NWS Meteorologist Ricky Castro said warnings are issued when the heat continues for a number of days. They’re meant to let people know that they need to take precautions because extreme heat can have a cumulative effect on the body, he said.
“It’s really (to bring) awareness” to the public so they make safe decisions when planning outdoor activities in conditions that can lead to heat exhaustion or heat strokes, Castro said.
“Both are dangerous,” he said. Heat exhaustion can lead to a sudden onset of heat stroke, he said.
“Heat stroke is a true emergency situation. If (a person) has confusion, dizziness or loses consciousness, then you would call 911,” Castro said.
The American Red Cross recommends three things to avoid such situations: stay hydrated, stay cool and stay connected, according to a news release.
“Knowing what to do to protect yourself and loved ones from extreme heat can save lives,” Kellie O’Connell, CEO of the Illinois Red Cross, said in the release. “We’re asking everyone to check on friends and neighbors, especially older adults, people with chronic conditions, outdoor workers and athletes. You could make all the difference by sending a text, making a call, or knocking on their door.”
Villages and cities throughout the Fox Valley prepared for the heat wave by letting residents know where to find cooling centers, including public buildings like police stations and libraries.
The Illinois Tollway activated its 24-hour-a-day Hot Weather Patrols so more crews are on the road and available to more quickly locate and assist customers stranded during dangerous hot and humid conditions. It is to continue through the weekend, a news release said.
Drivers stranded on the tollway should dial 999 for help. It’s also recommended that drivers turn on their emergency lights and remain with their vehicles until help arrives, the release said.
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Motorists should also be aware that heat can cause the pavement to buckle. It happened in Algonquin on Monday, and the village sent out an alert to let people know they were fixing the problem.
Despite the heat, some people still need to work outside. Mayolo Plata has made his living selling ice cream and paletas, which are Mexican popsicles in such flavors as tamarind, watermelon and strawberry, from his cart. While his wares sound like an ideal way to cool down, business isn’t always great during a heatwave because people tend to stay indoors.
He and his daughter, Nereyda, headed down to Festival Park in search of customers Monday afternoon.
“People don’t come out, but we have to find business, even if it’s a little,” Plata said in Spanish. “You struggle, but you have to try to pay bills, eat and survive.”
Their next stop would be Lords Park pool, he said, and they plan to be at Saturday’s Fourth of July Parade too.
Gladys Quintana brought her daughters, Olivia, 5, and Isabella, 2, to Festival Park’s splash pad — the same place she used to cool off when she was a child, she said.
Her daughter loves it too.
“I like getting wet and playing with my sister,” Olivia said.
Quintana is originally from Elgin, but now lives in Texas, where the temperatures regularly reach 100 degrees. This is mild by comparison, she said, so she doesn’t mind it that much.
“The humidity is what makes it bad,” Quintana said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.