Louise Paulson has lived for 44 years in Kent and she’s never felt heat like this.
“I don’t like it,” Paulson said as she played cards Wednesday afternoon inside the air-conditioned Kent Senior Activity Center. “That’s why I’m here. I hope it finishes soon.”
The temperature of 103 degrees Wednesday at Sea-Tac Airport set an all-time record for any day, any year, beating the previous mark of 100 degrees set on July 20, 1994. The temperature reached 101 degrees at East Hill Elementary School, 9825 S. 240th St., in Kent.
The low at the airport Wednesday was 72 degrees, the warmest low temperature ever recorded in 118 years of weather-keeping in Seattle, according to news reports.
The City of Kent welcomed residents to chill at its cooling centers established across town: the Kent Senior Center, the Kent Commons recreational facility and the King County library in downtown Kent.
The Kent Valley Ice Centre, 6015 S. 240th St., also has opened its doors until midnight each night during the heat wave for anyone who wants to find a cool spot.
“It’s about 61 degrees in here,” said Doug Stewart, facilities manager for the Ice Centre, Wednesday afternoon, during some of the highest temperatures of the day. “We want to let everyone know they can come on in at no charge and use our lobby or sit in the cafe.”
Debby Andersen, of Black Diamond, brought her three children Wednesday afternoon to Kent Commons to beat the heat.
“We’ve been at the lake (Lake Wilderness in Maple Valley) and the Green River, but we decided to try not to do the water thing again,” said Andersen of the trips they took Monday and Tuesday. “We brought some games and books.”
The children sat down at a table in the Kent Commons lobby to play games or read books. The family planned to spend a few hours at the facility before driving up to worship services at Kent Church of Christ on the East Hill.
“We just walked in from outside, that’s why the red faces,” Andersen said.
Besides, the air conditioning had just gone out in the family van.
“It went out today,” Andersen said.
One other family was visiting Kent Commons earlier Wednesday to cool down. More people were expected to visit Kent Commons and the Senior Center Wednesday evening.
“We had about 20 more people than normal in here Tuesday night,” said Lea Bishop, facilities manager at the senior center. “We had a family from Kent and some of their neighbors bring board games.”
Kent Fire Department officials had yet to see an increase in medical aid calls because of the heat, said Kyle Ohashi, Kent Fire public information officer, in a phone interview Wednesday evening.
But the fire department sent out a media release advising how to beat the heat, especially for senior citizens.
“Our big thing is our concern about seniors,” Ohashi said. “People need to check on their family, friends and neighbors who are seniors by phone or with a visit.”
Ohashi said things to look for to see whether heat has or could impact someone include:
• An overly warm home and or no fan or air conditioning
• Complaints of headache, dizziness, or feeling faint or weak
• Slurred or slow speech; unusual or irrational behavior
• Not eating or drinking liquids regularly
• Not hearing from someone for an unusually long period of time.
There are special concerns for the elderly because they do not adjust as well as younger people to changes in temperature, Ohashi said. They also are more likely to have chronic medical conditions that upsets normal body responses to heat.
For older adults to combat the heat, Ohashi recommends the following:
• Have them drink a cool, but not extremely cold, non-alcoholic beverage
• Eat something light but nourishing
• Reduce daytime activity or provide transportation to reduce fatigue
• Wear lightweight clothing and a hat when out of doors
• At night, open the windows and air the home out
• In the morning shut the windows and close blinds to keep out the light and accompanying heat.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
King County Metro Transit issued a travel advisory Wednesday that riders could find the buses extra hot. Only about 30 percent of the buses are equipped with air conditioning. Metro officials are advising riders to travel earlier or later in the day when temperatures are cooler and buses aren’t as crowded.
For National Weather Service forecasts, go to www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/.
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