Massachusetts emergency officials urge caution during heat emergency and air quality alert

BOSTON – With a Heat emergency and air quality alert In most parts of Massachusetts, every try to stay coolbut some find the heat more difficult than others.

Parents try to keep their children cool

Boston’s Heat emergency Some parents limited their children’s time outdoors.

“This morning we were at the playground for a few minutes and then back inside,” said Sarah Warner, who was at the wading pool at Artesani Park in Allston on Tuesday.

“They get red, they get hot,” said Crystal Warner, who was buying treats for her children at an ice cream truck.

Homeless shelters create emergency accommodation

Skies were so foggy that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality warning in seven counties, prompting homeless shelter staff to convert a cafeteria at the Pine Street Inn into a makeshift dormitory to accommodate overcrowding.

“Many have physical conditions where the heat, the temperature, but also the air quality, are really affecting their daily well-being,” said Josh O’Brien, emergency shelter manager at Pine Street Inn. He urged the public to be on the lookout on hot city streets and to call 911 if necessary. “Even if someone looks like they’re just sleeping, someone who is unconscious in this weather can have serious heat issues.”

Who is at risk from the extreme heat?

Boston EMS has deployed additional staff and ambulances this week to handle the increased volume of calls.

“If you’re going to run or bike, try to do it outside of work hours,” said James Houley, chief of Boston’s emergency medical services. People most vulnerable are those with asthma, lung disease or severe environmental allergies. However, even the healthiest people need to conserve their energy during strenuous physical activity outdoors, Houley said. “You should try to give your body a break, and that obviously applies to older people and people with health conditions, but it really can happen to anyone.”

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