Dangerous heat: Health experts urge residents to take proper precautions

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Despite the outdoor heat reaching potentially dangerous levels, there were still a few people braving the high temperature outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Tuesday afternoon.

"I feel exhausted. I need tons of water," said Natalie Rodriguez

Rodriguez wasn't alone, too.

We also found now-retired Action News photojournalist Terry Gilmore rollerblading near Eakins Oval.

"You don't even have to warm up. You know, in the wintertime you get out there and you have to at least take 10 minutes just to get your muscles going. On days like today, by the time you put on all the stuff here, you're already sweating," said Gilmore.

But exerting yourself in this kind of heat is not only risky, it's flat-out dangerous.

Temple Health's Dr. Delana Wardlaw says overexposure under these conditions, during the middle of the day, can escalate rapidly from heat exhaustion to heat stroke.

"This is not the best time of the day to be doing that. It can cause your body temperature to increase very quickly, so we want to try to avoid those situations," said Wardlaw.

Unfortunately, some of us need to be outside today, like Mohamed Saleh and his family, who are running the Three Roosters food truck in North Philadelphia. The heat inside the truck hovered around 112 degrees Tuesday.

"As you can see, I'm drenched in sweat working. But you know, this is what you do to feed your family, you know?" said Saleh.

Wardlaw says that when the temperature gets this hot, it's ideal to find a location with air conditioning.

If you do venture outside, she says you should wear light clothing and stay hydrated as best as possible.