Keeping cool during Nashville’s record-breaking heat wave

If you’ve stepped outside in Nashville this week, you know the heat right now is no joke. The fire department has responded to dozens of heat sickness-related calls just this week. Residents are being asked to conserve energy to reduce strain on the grid.

Forecasters expect things to cool down just a bit over the Juneteenth weekend, but then we could hit 100 degrees next week. How long has it been since that happened? We pose that and more burning questions to a meteorologist. We also talk with Nashvillians who spend most or all of their time outdoors about how they’re coping, and with service providers who are working to provide relief to those who are most vulnerable.

At the top of the hour, we talk with WPLN senior health care reporter Blake Farmer about harm reduction efforts at music festivals, including Bonnaroo, which gets under way this weekend.

Guests:

• Sam Shamburger, lead forecaster at National Weather Service Nashville

• Maurice Ballard, vendor for The Contributor

• Phoenix, unhoused Nashville resident

• Alex Smith, outreach worker

• Carrie Gatlin, vice president of ministries at Nashville Rescue Mission

Hot weather resources:

• The Metro Action Commission Fan and Air Conditioner program provides fans and air conditioner window units to those in need at no cost. To apply or to make a contribution, call 615-862-8860, ext. 70120, or go to the agency’s website.

• The Metro Office of Emergency Management has published a list of heat precautions on their website

• Heat safety tips from The National Weather Service