GENESEE COUNTY -- As the temperature reached 100 degrees for the third time this summer and seemingly endless stretches of 90+ degree days continue to add up, a local emergency room physician says the heat is sending people to the emergency room.
Dr. Stuart Etengoff says the Genesys Regional Medical Center Emergency room has seen increased cases of heat exhaustion from past summers and he has personally seen two cases of heat stroke. One was an elderly person but another was a young and able-bodied outdoor worker. He says while the elderly are more at risk, in 100 degree heat nobody is exempt.
"It's really everyone when it gets this hot," says Etengoff.
At Wolverine Campground in Genesee county campers were beating the heat by flocking to the lake and the shade. Sarah Brown of Flint said, it's not so bad.
"It's not that bad actually," said Brown, "it's just hot and I hate walking in it so I hang out here."
Parks Director Amy McMillan says they have only had one hospitalization due to heat in the Genesee County Parks system this summer and she says that's not bad considering how bad it's been, but she says her rangers are keeping a very close eye on things.
"We've had a couple of incidents where people have been starting to look wilted," said McMillan, "and we had one person earlier this year that we had to have a park ranger take to the hospital because they were beyond wilted."
Kelly Good, owner of Good's Roofing in Burton tells NBC25 he decided to get his employees off the roofs and into the air conditioning as temperatures began to heat up after 11am.
Experts say the best things you can do are to drink lots of water and take breaks from the heat. Also check on pets and the elderly, especially those without air conditioning.
