CITY BEAT: THE ‘DANGEROUS HEAT’ WARNINGS TO KEEP US SAFE

     Last week’s high temperatures in our state, and many states, resulted in “dangerous heat” warnings being printed and aired on local media.
     Theodore ‘Ted’ Berger, Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security stated: “Illinois is facing several days of dangerous heat, and we urge everyone to take these conditions seriously. Preparedness is key. Limit time outdoors during peak heat, check in on neighbors and those who may need extra assistance, and know where your local cooling centers are.
     “Taking simple steps now can prevent heat related emergencies and help keep our communities safe throughout this extended heat wave.”
We live in an age where “the weather” forecasts and projections alert residents about what we can expect to deal with — sometimes tornadoes and heavy winds, and other times extreme cold or heat depending on the season.
     The media “weather people” are important in helping keep us safe when “weather danger” approaches our area.
     Last month, we witnessed weather’s destructive behavior in Illinois communities not that far away from Decatur when a tornado struck and did extensive damage — and at least 3 people lost their lives as a result!
Of course, high temperatures in summer, even though not as threatening to human life as a tornado ripping through a community, are not to be taken lightly and that’s certainly the reason that an agency in the State of Illinois, issues reminders and warnings to residents to keep us safe.

The Weather, Back Then…

     As I grow older I find myself comparing about everything that happens today, with what happened when I was a boy and, later, a young adult.
     I know many of you reading this column today had very similar experiences as my own in dealing with life as a young person and beyond.
     Sometimes I wonder how I survived the weather that hit our area back then when there was not a warning system in place like we have today to inform us what we needed to do to survive bad weather.
I’ve shared some of my “hot weather” memories in dealing with hot summer days when I was a kid in school in my “Viewpoint” column printed on page 3 of this week’s print and online editions of the Decatur Tribune.
     Some more recent “hot” memories involve some years that included the really hot days of the Decatur Celebration. The actual temperature was 100-plus degrees — not counting the additional heat that was coming off of the hot asphalt on Franklin Street!

     • I REMEMBER a boy, dressed as a rat for a pest control company’s booth at the Celebration, who passed out on the sidewalk next to our newspaper office. They removed his rat head costume and laid him down on the pavement — and later they brought him into the lobby of our building (which was air conditioned) to help him recover. I unlocked the door so they could get in and they also brought all of the racing rats inside to cool them off! (They were in cages.)

     • ALTHOUGH we survived last week’s dangerous heat, since we are still in the early part of July, we have most of the summer left to deal with high temperatures.
     The State of Illinois highlights several key precautions during extreme heat:
     • Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol. Beverages with electrolytes can help protect against heat stress.
     • Apply sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) every two hours.
     • Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing.
     • Take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned locations.
     • Never leave children, vulnerable adults, or pets in a vehicle, even for a short time.
     • Limit outdoor activity, especially during the hottest parts of the day.
     Stay cool and safe!     

     • BURNING RUBBER! — I don’t know if it is the latest driving crazy, but someone(s) are using their vehicle(s) to “burn rubber” with their tires (making black donuts) on South Franklin Street, the intersection of Main and Monroe and the intersection of West Main and Oakland last week.
Although it is dangerous to drive in such a reckless fashion, there is a positive aspect — more customers for local businesses that sell tires because the tires on the “donut” vehicles are not going to last a long time!

     • SAD NOTE — I’ve mentioned before that I could about fill this column each week if I shared memories I have of many area residents whose obituaries appear in this newspaper.
     Longtime Decatur Park District Commissioner Bob Brilley is among those we lost recently. (His obituary is on page 20 of this week’s edition.)
     Also, Ron Neufeld passed away on June 25. Ron was the City of Decatur’s Finance Director during most of the years I served as mayor and we met often in my office to discuss the city’s finances. (His obituary was in last week’s edition on page 21.)
     Both men were definite assets to our community in their service.

     • I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co. most Thursday mornings at 7:00 for the “City Hall Insider”.  I always enjoy our conversation.

FOR MORE stories and more “City Beat” and editorial comments, SUBSCRIBE to the print or online editions of the Decatur Tribune by using the “Subscribe” prompt at the top of this page.  You will find many stories and columns about Decatur and Central Illinois each week. The print edition is $50 for 52 issues (one year) and the online edition is $30 for one year.  The combo rate (both print and online editions) is $65 per year.  You can also subscribe to the print edition via USPS by sending $50 to: Decatur Tribune, P. O. Box 1490, Decatur, Illinois 62525-1490.