(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indy is urging you to stay in if you can, as temperatures climb toward 100.
IndyParks is urging residents to make use of the splashpads in 17 city parks, and the air conditioning in 11 park family centers and at Indianapolis Public Library branches.
Six IndyParks pools are open, barely a third of the 17 in the park system. Director Phyllis Boyd says some pools are in need of maintenance, but says the biggest problem has been finding enough lifeguards. She says there haven’t been enough applications to begin with, and some of those who do apply aren’t able to pass the required lifeguard test.
Mayor Joe Hogsett notes the expected two days of 100-degree heat and high humidity isn’t just uncomfortable, but dangerous, both because of the heat itself and the poor air quality it brings. He’s encouraging staying indoors if you can, and says to make sure to seek shade and stay hydrated if you do go out. And he’s asking people to periodically check on neighbors who don’t have air conditioning.
Hogsett and Marion County Emergency Management director Jacob Spence are also advising turning the thermostat a couple of degrees warmer than you might prefer, to reduce the strain on the power grid. The Carmel-based Midwest Independent System Operator, which oversees the grid in Indiana and 14 other states, has warned high demand this summer will stretch utilities’ capacity and could lead to rotating blackouts.
