Summer is finally here!

And I hate it!! We have gone from the coolest and rainiest spring that I can remember right into 90 degrees and humidity up the wazoo. I have a hard time believing that I used to work in this all day long! I do remember getting up in the morning and putting on my work pants that were still wet form the day before. I just talked to my crew and told them the same thing that I have said all week. "Do not stay out there any longer than you have to after 11AM. It is not worth dying up there." I used to scoff at the reports that people could die from the heat until about 12 years ago when I pushed it to the limit and nearly became a statistic myself. Dehydration and over heating can and will kill you! At some point your systems start to shut down and if they cannot get them up and running again you are soon to be history. Of course at that point you are too stupified to even care so it may not be a bad way to go. :laugh: But it really is nothing to laugh at. You guys be carefull out there and keep an eye on your men. Even if it doesn't kill you, heat stroke will affect your ability to tolerate hot weather for the rest of your life. I am proof of that. I would literally die if I tried to work a day in this weather.>>>

C.P. man collapses, dies from heat stroke StoryDiscussionFont Size: Default font size Larger font size | Saturday, June 27, 2009 | (No comments posted.)

A 32-year-old Crown Point man died of heat stroke two days after blacking out in Crete, the Cook County medical examiner's office said.

Kale Westerhoff, of 313 Wright St., Crown Point, passed out about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday while working on a roof in the 1300 block of Main Street in Crete.

Westerhoff was pronounced dead at 9:11 a.m. Thursday at St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights, a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said Friday. The medical examiner said the cause of death was heat stroke and it has been ruled an accident.

Westerhoff was one of three people who died recently in Illinois, at least in part, as a result of the heat. - BY TIMES STAFF >>>

Man you took the words right out of my mouth saying i cant believe i used to work in this crap. We have had over 100 degree heat index every day now for over two weeks and summer is just getting started. My and a helper did two pretty involved repairs today and i just about had it by the time we finished the last one. We worked from 7 am to 12:30 to finish them both. Took off and went to the landfill which is only about 12 miles more to the lake from there. So we went to the lake and jumped in! lol>>>

The storms are building to the west! We might get some good rain, or it might miss us entirely. Yesterday part of Chicago got 3" of rain and a few miles away just baked. When the storms come in things cool down quick and when they are gone the heat comes back with more humidity. I miss winter!>>>

Yes, my guys have been starting at 6:00 or close to it and stopping around noon.

The home owner just finally mentioned that he wished we could put in more hours, but the scuffing is getting pretty bad, to say the least about the guys health.

Ed>>>

I understand completely . . . we worked from 6 am 'til 2:30 pm on tuesday. Got very warm. Frequent shade and water breaks. Cut into productivity, but it was stripped and dried in when we left. Spent from 7 am 'til 8:30 am on weds laying it up, then booked for the day. Called it all off today as I didn't think we could get r done before the predicted severe t-storms rolled in. We'll hit it again tomorrow.

If'n this business was easy, everybody would be . . . . .>>>