GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With expected near triple-digit highs making their way to West Michigan, local organizations are preparing to face the heat- finding ways to keep loved ones and others safe.
A Heat Advisory has been placed into effect at noon on Monday, lasting through 8 p.m. on Friday. According to 13 ON YOUR SIDE's weather team, temperatures will be reading in the low to mid-90s for the next three days with dew points in the upper 60s to low 70s- meaning high heat and high humidity.
It is recommended to avoid strenuous outdoor activities the next few days, drink plenty of water, dress in light-colored loose-fitted clothes, and try to take frequent breaks in AC.
Thelma Ensink is the executive director of Dégagé Ministries in Grand Rapids. According to her, the group has dedicated themselves to creating a safe space for the homeless since 1967.
Even facing the highest temperatures of the year so far, that goal hasn't changed.
"We get really concerned, especially when there's a heat wave this early in the summer," Ensink said. "We've been doing some preparations, just getting ready to make sure we can welcome everybody that needs shelter, needs a cool place to be."
Dégagé's day center is one of eight cooling shelters in the area- offering air-conditioned rooms, a place to rest and even three meals a day.
"During times like this, it really becomes an emergency center becomes a space where people need to get away from the elements," Ensink said. "We want to make sure that they have a space where they can come get cooled down and get access to water and rehydrate."
The ministry accepts donations of food and water for the homeless in Grand Rapids every Tuesday and Thursday. This week, Ensink said their community outreach team will team up with other groups across the city to distribute water to the unhoused across the city- aiming towards a week without weather-related issues.
"We want to make sure that no one experiences a health crisis this week as a result of this heat," Ensink said. "A successful week would be everyone remains safe and hydrated and has a place to shelter."
For other groups across the city, those goals don't just apply to humans. Angela Hollinshead, the director of the Kent County animal shelter, said it's just as important to think about pets in times of intense heat.
"There's a lot of things you can do as a pet owner to help make sure that you're keeping your pet safe," Hollinshead said. "Everything from the hot pavement that they walk on to the air temperature making sure that they stay hydrated."
Hollinshead has volunteers at the shelter who walk dozens of dogs per day. She said that this week, they'll be getting shorter, grassier walks.
"One of the really most important things you can do to protect your pet is make sure that you're not walking them on excessively hot pavement," Hollinshead said. "We have shoes on, so we don't necessarily think about how hot the pavement is when we're out walking around."
When 13 ON YOUR SIDE visited the shelter, Hollinshead measured the temperature of the pavement: 118 degrees.
"Lean down, put your hand on the pavement flat and hold it there for seven seconds," Hollinshead said. "If by seven seconds you're hot and your hand's going, 'you know what? That kind of hurts, ouch' That's probably so hot that your dog shouldn't be spending any amount of time on it."
Another highlight for Hollinshead was hydration- saying it's important to make water accessible- for both her animals and her volunteers.
"A lot of our volunteers right now are coming in the mornings to get these guys out first thing in the morning, when it's a little bit cooler, and then they'll come back again later this evening," Hollinshead said. "Make sure that you're walking early or late and hydrate."
Hollinshead also pointed out the importance of having shade for animals- saying how sometimes dog houses work against keeping your dog cool.
"Even though a lot of dog houses are light-colored, there's not any airflow, and they get excessively hot," Hollinshead said. "Moving that dog house into the shade will help keep that dog house cooler."
When in doubt, however, Hollinshead said it's better to be safe than sorry.
"The most important thing you can do, realistically is just bring them inside, get them out of the heat," Hollinshead said.
"If you're getting hot and uncomfortable, they're probably right up there with you. So you'll notice that that excessive panting, a little bit of drooling," Hollin added. "Try to avoid getting to that point."
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