Aug 9, 2007 7:07 am US/Eastern
Marylanders Brave Another Hot Day
by Mary Bubala
(WJZ)
Everyone is still talking about the heat. While we should not be breaking any records Thursday, it is still going to be dangerously hot.
Mary Bubala keeps a close eye on the temperatures.
We are cooling off a bit, but it is still a stifling hot start, especially for those who don't have air conditioning.
It may feel like it's scorching outside, but temperatures hit the triple digits Wednesday, getting up to 102 degrees in Baltimore.
But it's even hotter in Calvin Harris' home. He is suffering through the brutal heat without air conditioning.
"It's blowing hot air, because it's so hot in here, you can feel it," said Harris.
Barbara Carter and her two daughters are sweating it out as well.
"It's very uncomfortable," said Carter. They have been drinking plenty of water to stay cool.
Carter was forced to give up her air conditioner, when she received a BGE bill for more than $1,000.
In West Baltimore the fire hydrants were turned on for kids to stay cool. The heat wave sweeping the nation is sparking code red alerts and leaving a sweltering smog of unhealthy air in its wake.
In Maryland, it's now unsafe for sensitive groups to breathe.
"A person like me for instance, with one lung -- I can't walk that far," said one heat sufferer.
The record setting temperatures are also straining BGE's power grid.
The energy demand is at a seasonal high and 13 states, including Maryland, are now operating under voltage reduction.
Under the "voltage reduction" plan, BGE says most customers won't notice much of a difference, except your lights may be dimmer than normal.
At least 13 people have died in Maryland this summer alone from heat related illnesses.
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