Record-Breaking Heat Wave Sweeps Over Western U.S.

A dangerous heat wave is lingering in the western United States with more than 16 million people from at least five states under heat alerts.

For people who have to work outside, beating the heat becomes a matter of strategy.

“We have these heat exhaustion packs that come with liquid IVs, cool packets. We have everything,” Sheet Metal Foreman Marc Enriquez said.

Enriquez does hot roofing. Imaging adding 550 degrees to Arizona’s already triple-digit temperatures. Staying hydrated is key.

“Keep that in you because once you come out here, you sweat it all out and once you stop sweating, that’s a red flag right there,” Enriquez We like to avoid that. If you’re sweating, that’s good.”

Another strategy is beating the sun to work by starting work at 3 a.m., having lunch by 7 a.m. and calling it a day by noon.

Farm workers in California have had a change in scheduling, starting their day at sunrise. They rap up as soon as it starts getting too hot.

Medical professionals say acclimating to the heat is just as much a physical task as a mental one.

“It’s more about ourselves acclimating to a new temperature and what that means in terms of our outside activities,” UNLV School of Medicine Doctor David Weismiller said.