A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018
NEWS
Outdoor workers struggle to keep cool
People whose jobs
keep them outside
must be careful when
it’s this hot
By TAMMY MALGESINI
STAFF WRITER
As the mercury continues to
rise, many people head to the
river, the local pool or crank up
the air conditioner in order to stay
cool. However, many people who
work outdoors are left sweating
while figuring out ways to beat
the heat.
The key — hydration.
The general consensus among
employees that are exposed to
extreme elements is to make sure
people are drinking enough water.
This also goes for those who are
having fun outdoors or working in
their yards.
Jim Forquer, operations chief
with Umatilla County Fire District
No. 1, said it’s important for peo-
ple to recognize that alcohol isn’t
a good substitute for fluid intake.
In addition to impairing a person’s
judgment in recognizing possible
harm from being in the sun, alco-
hol can further increase the risk
for dehydration.
“Water is the best choice for
proper hydration,” he said.
Tom Strandberg, the Oregon
Department of Transportation
Region 5 public information offi-
cer, said with dozens of projects
going on throughout the summer,
the department has several hun-
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Hayley Mele-Seibel, 15, watches over the multi-use pool during swim
lessons at the Hermiston Family Aquatic Center.
dred people exposed to the sum-
mer heat. In addition to mainte-
nance crews, construction liaisons
are out in the sun checking on jobs
and contracts.
“It’s definitely a topic on our
minds,” Strandberg said regarding
being prepared for working in the
heat. “We send out safety remind-
ers with the hot weather.”
During the warmer months,
Forquer said the first “house
chore” of the day is to fill coolers
with ice and bottled water so it’s
ready to go when fire crews are
called out.
Brandon Artz, recreation super-
visor for the city of Hermiston,
said lifeguards at Hermiston Fam-
ily Aquatic Center are provided
with sunscreen, water and Pow-
erade, a sports drink that replaces
electrolytes that are lost through
sweating.
Beating the heat
Last week after looking at
the National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration web-
site, Cam McGinnis, the ODOT
Region 5 safety lead, drafted an
email reminding employees to
be prepared for weather-related
working conditions.
“Prepare for the heat. Keep
an eye out for the shade and the
water,” he wrote.
McGinnis stressed the impor-
tance of staying hydrated, plan-
ning for work breaks, appropri-
ate attire and how to recognize the
risk for heat-related symptoms.
He reminded employees to make
sure they have plenty of water,
as well as encouraging crews to
bring additional water. McGinnis
also said wearing a wide-brimmed
or floppy hat helps in keeping the
sun off a person’s neck and head.
Covering exposed skin, said
Rebecca Ferge, office manager
for Bellinger Farms, is a practice
watermelon harvest crews uti-
lize. It reduces their exposure to
the sun, while also trapping sweat
against the body, which helps in
cooling a person down, she said.
“We try really hard for them
to be able to take their breaks in
whatever shade might be avail-
able,” Ferge added.
Artz, too, said lifeguards are
encouraged to get out of the sun
when on their breaks. While they
may take a dip in the pool, Artz
said they are urged to take cover
in the shade or in the air-condi-
tioned lifeguard station.
Another important part of tak-
ing preventive action, Forquer
said, is a having a good fitness
program.
“Our crews work out every
day and that assists their ability
to work in an environment that
exposes them to the extremes,” he
said.
Many of the harvest work-
ers, Ferge said, are accustomed
to working outdoors in the heat.
They pack lunch boxes with flu-
ids and food that are replenishing,
she said.
“They’ve acclimatized them-
selves to the triple digits,” she
said. “They drink lots of water.”
In his email, McGinnis also
provided information about phone
apps that are helpful. The NIOSH
Heat Index, he said, is quite use-
ful in providing important infor-
mation to determine risk factors.
“Once the location, tempera-
ture and humidity are determined,
the app rates the conditions and
gives you suggestions for mitiga-
tion,” McGinnis said. “This app
also has basic first aid suggestions
for heat related illness.”
Also, other conditions are fac-
tored in at outdoor jobs. For road
construction crews, Strandberg
said working near or on asphalt
and concrete can increase the tem-
perature. Lifeguards have to con-
tend with the sun reflecting off the
water. And the heat from flames
for firefighters pushes the ther-
mometer even higher.
At floor level, Forquer said
a fire in a typical single-family
dwelling can result in temperatures
of 300-500 degrees. At the ceiling,
he said the mercury can climb to
1,200 degrees or even higher. With
an awareness of this, Forquer said
they have automatic mutual aid
response from other agencies that
helps in rotating people in to help
reduce fatigue. In addition, reha-
bilitation areas include misters and
plenty of water to maintain proper
hydration.
Forquer encourages people to
look at weather forecasts and plan
their activities accordingly. If pos-
sible, he said it’s best to do yard
work, go shopping and other out-
ings in the morning when it’s not
as hot.
“We know it affects every-
one, but our crews are out there
exposed to the elements working
for ODOT and the citizens of Ore-
gon,” Strandberg said. “Now we’re
hitting the heat and pretty soon it
will be freezing cold.”
CDA director says depot transfer to local control is close
By JADE MCDOWELL
STAFF WRITER
There’s just one box left
to check before the former
Umatilla Chemical Depot
can be transferred to local
control.
At a Columbia Develop-
ment Authority board meet-
ing Tuesday morning, direc-
tor Greg Smith told the board
that all that was left was for
the necessary parties to wrap
up the Section 106 process,
which relates to agreement
between the Army, state and
tribal officials and the local
development authority con-
cerning the best strategy to
manage habitat, historical
and cultural concerns while
also allowing for economic
development on the former
Army depot.
Smith said if the CDA
and the Confederated Tribes
of the Umatilla Indian Res-
ervation could come to an
agreement by the end of
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piece,” he said. “Everything
else in terms of the checklist
for transferring real estate is
done.”
The tribes and the CDA
board have been negotiat-
ing over protection of wild-
life habitat, areas of cultural
significance to the tribes and
a portion of the Oregon Trail
that runs through the depot
but have not yet been able to
come to an agreement.
Most of Tuesday’s meet-
ing was in closed-door exec-
utive session “to conduct
deliberations with persons
designated by the governing
body to negotiate real prop-
erty transactions.”
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