Gainesville is looking at a heat wave this weekend with temperatures in the upper 90s. North Florida has been getting thunderstorms that are bringing very little rain but enough lightning to start new wildfires. With these temperatures, people are at risk of becoming very sick. Those at particular risk include the very young and the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and mental illness, and those who abuse precription drugs or alcohol. Peggy Hunsucker, Director of Business Operations at the Central Florida Community Action Agency says the agency provides help for those at risk of heat exhaustion.
“We service both the elderly and low income families on their energy bills both summer and winter,” she said.
Hunsucker adds that with the economic downturn recently, many clients have had to seek help from the Central Florida Community Action Agency for the first time. The agency has been able to offer their services to a broader range of people. The heat is not expected to subside anytime soon. Steve Letro, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Jacksonville says the best that we can hope for is our normal daily rainfall.