Indianapolis prepares for extreme temperatures; some pools to close soon

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — With high school and college students returning to school at the beginning of next week, several Indy Parks pools will close. 

Some will be open until Aug. 6, but, according to Indy Parks, it’s subject to change due to staffing or maintenance issues. 

Rhodius Park was closed as of Wednesday.

Pools expected to close on Sunday are Brookside, Garfield, Perry, Riverside, Gustafson, Sahm, and Stanley Strader.

On Aug. 6, six additional pools will close: Broad Ripple, Eagle Creek Beach, Ellenberger, King, Douglass, Northwestway.

Thatcher Park and Indy Island are open year-round; however, Indy Island has been closed due to maintenance.

A lot of people are working in the extreme heat, including construction workers who will be fighting to beat the heat.

Alex Cortwright, chief communications officer at Indy Parks, said, “Know the information. Know where to go.”

With temperatures climbing, people across Indianapolis are preparing to face extreme weather.

Indy Parks encourages friends and families to look out for each other.

“And if they need assistance give them a ride. Whatever assistance you can to make sure that folks are safe and stay cool during this heat wave,” Cortwright said.

Construction workers are also bracing for high temps.

Dan Livingston, safety superintendent at Rieth-Riley Construction, said, “This isn’t for the unseasoned worker. Don’t try to tempt to come out and start working in this heat until you’ve been fully acclimated, and that’s one thing that we do throughout the season. As the season progresses on into the heat of the summer these crews are somewhat acclimated.”

According to Livingston, Rieth-Riley is always looking for signs of heat-related illnesses, including excessive sweating and heat cramps. “There’s varying degrees of heat stress and heat-related incidents and heat stroke, and somewhere in between that range when somebody starts to get into there, it gets really dangerous, and we let our training jump in and take over.”

Livingston says the construction firm is also prepared with first-aid and CPR. However, he says, workers can beat the heat by taking steps toward hydration and shade.

“There’s a lot of guys that will just continue to keep working on through and when they do that it’s up to me as supervisor, coworkers to look at somebody and say, ‘Hey, man. You may not realize it, but I think you’re starting to exhibit some symptoms.’”

News release

“Mayor Joe Hogsett urges caution in extreme temperatures

“Indy Parks’ splash pads, family centers available for residents to keep cool

“INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indy Parks, and the Emergency Management Division of the Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency released information to encourage safety measures ahead of extreme heat.

“The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for 8:00 a.m. Thursday, July 27 through midnight on Friday, July 28. The Marion County Emergency Management remains in close communication with partner agencies and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

“Throughout Indianapolis, residents can access 13 Indy Parks family centers that act as cooling centers throughout the day along with 19 splash pads. Even while enjoying splash pads or pools, residents are encouraged to stay hydrated and take breaks from the heat when they can.

“Available Family Centers include:

“Bethel Park Family Center, 2850 Bethel Avenue:

“Broad Ripple Park Family Center, 1426 Broad Ripple Avenue

“Brookside Park Family Center, 3500 Brookside Parkway S. Drive

“Christian Park Family Center, 4200 English Avenue.

“Garfield Park Burrello Family Center, 2345 Pagoda Drive

“Municipal Gardens Family Center, 1831 Lafayette Road

“Pride Park Family Center, 1129 S. Vandeman Street

“Riverside Park Family Center, 2420 N. Riverside E. Drive

“Rhodius Park Family Center, 1720 W. Wilkins Street

“Thatcher Park Family Center, 4649 W. Vermont Street

“Washington Park Family Center, 3130 E. 30th Street

“Watkins Park Family Center, 2360 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Street

“Windsor Park Family Center, 6510 E. 25th Street

“A full list of family centers and indoor facilities, splash pads, and pools locations and hours can be found at parks.indy.gov.

“Residents are encouraged to take extra precautions to protect the safety of themselves and those around them by keeping these important safety tips in mind:

“Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.

“Check on relatives and neighbors, especially the elderly and those without access to air conditioning.
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities. If you must be outside, take frequent breaks in a shaded or air-conditioned area if possible.

“Look before you lock! Pay special attention when locking up vehicles to ensure no children or pets are left inside. Temperatures inside a car can become lethal in a matter of minutes. It is easy to become distracted and forget others are in the vehicle.

“Bring pets indoors and ensure they have plenty of water to drink.

“Perform preventative maintenance on HVAC units such as replacing filters to reduce strain on the units. Raising the setting on your thermostat by a few degrees can help reduce strain on the unit and lower power consumption.

“If you experience signs of heat exhaustion (feeling faint or dizzy; excessive sweating; cool, pale, clammy skin; nausea or vomiting; rapid, weak pulse; and/or muscle cramps), it’s important to get to a cool, air-conditioned space, drink water, and use cold compresses or take a cool shower.

“If you or someone you know experiences signs of heat stroke (throbbing headache; no sweating; body temperature above 103 degrees; red, hot, dry skin; nausea or vomiting; rapid, strong pulse; and/or loss of consciousness), call 911 and take immediate action to cool off the person until help arrives.

“Those in need of non-emergency resources or shelter can call Indiana 211 by dialing 2-1-1. Additional heat safety information can be found at the National Weather Service website by clicking on the following link: https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat

News release from Mark Bode, communications director for the Office of Mayor Joe Hogsett, received 6:19 p.m. July 23, 2023