3 ways to cope with outdoor work during a heat wave

Not everyone can stay indoors during a heat wave.

It’s hot and getting hotter for workers and everyone else outdoors as the first significant heat wave of the year makes its way eastward across the United States. More than 70 million people were under extreme heat alerts Monday.

What’s more, the heat will move in and sit. Excessive humidity will make it feel even more oppressive. “The duration of this heat wave is notable and potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations,” the National Weather Service said over the weekend.

That’s dangerous. Emergency medical services across the U.S. already deployed for heat-related emergencies more than 2,400 times between June 1 and June 14, according to a government data tracker.

From gardeners to builders, not everyone can stay indoors. Here’s some advice on how to cope from some of the people who will be working outside this week.