More than 40 percent of Gadsden Co. neighbors highly vulnerable to extreme heat

• Thirteen counties in the Big Bend have neighbors who are highly vulnerable to extreme heat according to Florida Policy Institute.
• More than 40 percent of neighbors in Gadsden County are vulnerable to heat.
• Watch the video to see how neighbors are protecting themselves.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

A little over 26 percent of Florida's population is highly vulnerable to extreme heat. Some of those neighbors live right here in Gadsden County. I’m Ashley Engle your Quincy neighborhood reporter. I spoke with some neighbors who work outdoors in the heat daily and how they protect themselves.

You probably heard someone in the past 24 hours say

"It's very hot"

Kenneth Richardson is a firefighter at Quincy Fire Department.He has to put on his gear no matter how hot it is outside. I tried on the gear myself; I started feeling the heat, instantly. "When we respond on scene, whatever to hazard may be once we take care of it we're allowed to take breaks."

SEE WHY URBAN AREAS HEAT UP FASTER THAN RURAL:

Florida Policy Institute Reports almost 500,000 Floridians work outside. Richardson is one of those workers.

Justin Carter, who owns Carter's Lawn, also knows how hot it can get. "When we go on big jobs, it takes four to five hours sometimes six to seven, that's when it really wears on somebody because you're out there nonstop."

Look at this map from the Florida Policy Institute. Thirteen counties in the Big Bend have neighbors who are highly vulnerable to heat. Gadsden is one of them with a little over 40 percent of neighbors being at risk.

Richardson and Carter both don’t take working outside lightly and do whatever they can to protect themselves from the heat.

"EMS may bey on scene, so we can go within the ambulance, get an IV if we may need it, Liquid IV, stay cool in the shade, things like that."

"Get water and Gatorades for the guys there's three of us. So, I try to at least keep water in there."

Even though it's their jobs to be outside, they understand the risks and want to do it safely every day.

"Throughout the day I tell them ‘We want to go home just like we came to work.' so you know, don't kill yourself, take breaks. If you need to get in the ac, get in the shade, do what you can.

Summer is not over yet. Make sure you are protecting yourself at all costs for the rest of this season. Check the First to Know Forecast here.