CINCINNATI — Despite heat index values nearing 100 degrees, a Prus construction crew spent hours outside pouring concrete for new sidewalks on Tuesday in Over-the-Rhine.
"If you ever been to the beach and didn't get in the water, like in the middle of July, that's kind of what it feels like," said David Parker Jr. "It's more sticky than anything. It's not like having that Florida heat or that desert heat. It's that Midwest humidity."
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Several factors impact the body's ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate quickly, which prevents the human body from being able to quickly cool itself.
Parker said staying hydrated has been crucial to keeping his crew safe.
"Our company keeps water on our trucks," Parker said. "Gatorade, bottles of water, coolers, they give us pretty good breaks."
The intense heat they're dealing with is neither uncommon nor going away soon, according to climate specialist Aaron Wilson.
"You know, getting up around 95 today, tomorrow, certainly that's about 10 degrees above average," said Aaron Wilson, a climate specialist. "We are seeing an increased number of those, those low 90s. For instance, much more, you know, sustained heat, heat waves across the region than we saw say 50 or 60 years ago."
Parker added that on top of being uncomfortable, such extreme heat also impacts his crew's work.
"The only thing that's really bad about it is our concrete, because our concrete dries up a lot faster from how hot it is outside," he said.
But the Prus crew continues to try and stay positive while doing their job.
"I love doing this," Parker said. "I like being outside. The heat don't bother me. It's the snow I hate."
