NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday an expansion of the city’s emergency heat plan as the heat index is forecast to approach 112 degrees Fahrenheit over the July 4th weekend, with outdoor workers facing the highest health risk, according to El Diario.
Rosa, an Ecuadorian street vendor who sells hats in Central Park, was already working in near-90-degree heat on Wednesday. She stands outside for up to eight hours a day and told El Diario she had no intention of stopping. “I drink a lot of water, but I didn’t really know the temperature would reach 100 degrees,” she said in Spanish, per El Diario. “I’ll have to hydrate much more.”
Rosa is one of thousands of workers who have no access to air conditioning: street vendors, delivery workers, construction laborers, gardeners, and maintenance staff who are expected to complete full shifts through extreme heat, at significantly elevated risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke, El Diario reported.
Earlier this week the city deployed 21 mobile Cooling Outreach On-Location (COOL) units to reach vulnerable people in their neighborhoods, set up temporary cooling stations specifically for outdoor workers, and launched an information campaign targeting more than 75,000 businesses, reminding employers to protect workers during extreme heat events, according to El Diario.
Wednesday’s expanded measures added more cooling centers citywide, extended public pool hours, and increased the number of street assistance teams. “I’m asking all New Yorkers to make a plan before the worst of this heat wave arrives,” Mamdani said, per El Diario’s reporting. He emphasized staying in air-conditioned spaces, staying hydrated, and checking on elderly neighbors and relatives.
A second vendor near Central Park told El Diario he sees few options other than to push through. “For us there’s no other option than to drink a lot of water and hope that the effort of being under this hellish heat is compensated with more sales,” he said in Spanish, per El Diario. “There are small fans, but no cooling options. Last year I thought I was going to faint at one point.”
The July 4th weekend also coincides with the FIFA World Cup, which is drawing large numbers of tourists to the city, El Diario noted, and many informal vendors are counting on the foot traffic to make working in the heat worth it.
Public health specialists cited by El Diario recommend outdoor workers drink water frequently before feeling thirsty, seek shade during every break, wear light-colored and loose clothing, and use hats or caps. Dizziness, headache, nausea, or confusion can be signs of heat stroke and require immediate medical attention.
Anyone who sees someone showing signs of heat-related disorientation can call 311, which connects callers to assistance and information about the nearest cooling center, according to El Diario.
Featured image: Bushwick Daily image
