"Give your body a break," say emergency officials during heat emergency and air quality alert

BOSTON - With a heat emergency and air-quality alert throughout most of Massachusetts, everyone is trying to stay cool , but some are finding the heat more difficult than others.

Parents try to keep kids cool

Boston's heat emergency had some parents limiting kids time outside.

"This morning, we went to the playground for a few minutes and then we went inside," said Sarah Warner, who was at the Artesani Park splash pad in Allston on Tuesday.

"They get red, they get hot," said Crystal Warner, who bought her kids treats from an ice cream truck.

Homeless shelters create emergency space

The sky was so hazy, Massachusetts Environmental Protection officials put seven counties under an air quality alert. That triggered homeless shelter staff to convert a cafeteria at the Pine Street Inn into a makeshift sleeping space to accommodate an overflow.

"Many have underlying physical conditions where the heat, the temperature, but also the air quality, is really impacting their every day well-being," said Pine Street Inn Director of Emergency Shelters Josh O'Brien. He asked the public to keep an eye out on hot city streets and to call 911 if necessary. "Even if someone looks like they're just sleeping, if somebody's passed out in this weather, they can have serious heat distress."

Who's at risk in the extreme heat?

Boston EMS has extra staff and ambulances working this week to handle the increase in calls.

"If you're running or biking, try to do it more in off-hours," said Boston EMS Chief James Houley. He said the most vulnerable are those with asthma, lung disease, or serious environmental allergies. However, Houley said, even the healthiest people need to pace themselves when engaging in rigorous physical activities outside. "You want to try to give your body a break on it, and again, that certainly applies for people who are older and people who have have medical conditions, but it really could affect everybody."

According to a Massachusetts DEP spokesperson, last year the state hit a five-year high with the number of air quality alert days. So far in 2024, there have been three.