As a reporter, I was subject to an editor's orders regardless of the weather. Heat, cold, storms of all sorts - sometimes the weather was part of the news. I remember being soaked to the skin during a hurricane where I was sent out to get comments from people affected by flooding. Once a colleague and I had to stay at a motel adjacent (sort of) to the Courier News Building on Route 22 in anticipation of a blizzard. It struck and our pearls of journalism could not even be delivered to households for a couple of days. We could barely even get from the motel to the newsroom ourselves in the high-piled snow.
Now that I have a choice, I stay out of ice and snow as much as possible and I can suspend all activities except reading good books during a heat wave.
We are promised extreme heat tomorrow and my thoughts are with all those who will be out in the sun - reporters, photographers and especially all participating in the twelve hours of planned events in Plainfield Saturday.
Please, please take care for your personal well-being and that of your family, friends and neighbors as you spend time outside. The parade that starts at 10 a.m. can run three hours or so. Be prepared with sunscreen, hats, water and light, loose clothing if you will be a spectator. I hope the city will be very alert for signs that any of the participating veterans may need assistance and a place to cool off. See what the National Weather Service has to say about heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Food safety is another issue. Check these guidelines.
Whether at home, at the city's planned events or at the downtown Independence Day fiesta, outdoor activity can be enjoyed if heat advisories are followed. Even if you just have to do your normal weekend chores and errands tomorrow, watch out for that sun!
--Bernice
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We all know the infamous public service messages "check on your elderly neighbors" .... well no one has checked on me [so far]!! Either I am not well like by those around me or better though they do no think of me as "OLD" ... yet
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bernice. It's a shame that this comes the Sat. of our parade and fireworks and the Latino festival down town. We better get used to the heat. Global warming is real, no matter what some politicians say.
ReplyDeleteWhile I've missed some of the parades since they stopped having them on the actual day of the 4th (which I always have off), I'll be around for this one. Luckily, it goes right by my apartment building. I can actually watch (and hear) sitting on my recliner in air conditioning. Alas, that's not good for photos and you know me -- gotta take them! I'll go out to take photos as they pass by setting a folding chair up in the shade and going inside if I find it unbearable. I will also have ice water on hand!
ReplyDeleteSince the Latino festival is also on Sunday, I think I'll hit it then when the temperatures are a bit cooler.