CLEVELAND — The first full week of summer is living up to its billing across Northeast Ohio, with temperatures hovering around the 90-degree mark, with the heat index making it feel for many of us north of 100.
Those having to work in it are seeking relief in any way they can. We found workers replacing gas lines in Lakewood, one using a portable fan as he worked out of his truck.
“He’s blowing hot air,” joked fellow worker Daniel Juarez. “We do what we can to take care of them, again, make sure they’re hydrated, take food, take breaks. It’s not easy working in this heat."
Most working in the heat have the luxury of retreating to their air conditioners at night, but for the residents of the Knickerbocker Senior Apartments in Bay Village, that's not an option. The air conditioning for the individual units is currently not working. A resident reached out to News 5 to alert us of the ongoing issue, so we went out to investigate. For eighth-floor resident Maria Gonzalez, it's been difficult.
"It's not good. I have to pull the fan in front of me, my face to can breathe better,” she said.
Audrey Wrobel works with Gonzalez as a personal care assistant.
“It's very, very hot,” Wrobel said. “I mean, doing my normal tasks that in the winter it wasn't so bad because it was working, but now I'm pouring sweat doing it."
News 5 spoke by phone with Donald Heckelmoser, CEO of Barton Communities, which operates Knickerbocker and several other apartment buildings. He said this was all part of a $200,000 planned upgrade of the air conditioning system that was supposed to be completed in May.
Supply chain issues delayed the arrival of several key parts, pushing back completion. He said those parts have arrived, and crews were on site working as quickly as possible to get the system up and running, but it could still take an additional two to three days before the work is complete.
In the meantime, the ground floor and hallways of the building are air conditioned, and residents are encouraged to open their doors and have been supplied free fans, which Gonzalez says is what's getting her through this.
"Just the fan,” she said. I put a fan next to me because I can't breathe without the fan.”
Mother Nature may have brought on this heat, but for those gathered at Edgewater Beach Monday, she’s also providing the relief from it. Lake temps in the 60s brought a weekend crowd on this Monday. Folks like the Combs family of Newburgh Heights, who say the lack of central air conditioning factored into their decision to come to the water.
“Definitely wasn’t a pre-meditated plan, no, the heat was very much related,” said Craig Combs.
The first 90-degree stretch of the summer always seems the hardest as our bodies adjust to it. That is, except for Sam Harnevius, who sees the weather this week as actually a break from the heat. That’s because she’s here visiting family from Southern Georgia.
“This isn’t really anything,” she said with a laugh. “It’s not that bad to us.”
