Heat Wave – The News Desk

Taylor Swift organizers under investigation following fan death

23Nov

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Health

Taylor Swift organizers under investigation following fan death

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have launched an investigation into Time4Fun — the company behind Taylor Swift’s sweltering Brazil shows, including the one where a fan died amid intense heat. A spokesperson for the Civil Police Department of Rio de Janeiro told NBC News its consumer delegations department is probing the alleged “crime of endangering the life and health” of concertgoers at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium on November 17. The massive concert venue, one of the first stops on the international leg of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour, was packed with thousands of fans despite the scorching temperatures. That included Ana Clara Benevides Machado, who fell unconscious during the Grammy winner’s second song. Machado died at a hospital later the same night. While her cause of death ha...

Workers pay the price while Congress and employers debate need for heat regulations

30Aug

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Money

Workers pay the price while Congress and employers debate need for heat regulations

Sometimes the heat makes you vomit, said Carmen Garcia, a farmworker in the San Joaquin Valley of California. She and her husband spent July in the garlic fields, kneeling on the scorched earth as temperatures hovered above 105 degrees. Her husband had such severe fatigue and nausea that he stayed home from work for three days. He drank lime water instead of seeing a doctor because the couple doesn't have health insurance. "A lot of people have this happen," Garcia said.There are no federal standards to protect workers like the Garcias when days become excessively hot. And without bipartisan support from Congress, even with urgent attention from the Biden administration, relief may not come for years.President Joe Biden in 2021 tasked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with...

As the heat turns U.S. into an oven, millions of Americans at risk of power cutoffs

29Jul

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Money

As the heat turns U.S. into an oven, millions of Americans at risk of power cutoffs

A punishing heat wave has led to record-high temperatures across much of the U.S., with more than 180 million people living under a heat advisory on Friday. At the same time, the nation is suffering from a "power disconnection crisis," with millions at risk of having their electricity turned off because of overdue bills, researchers say.About 1 in 4 Americans is uncertain about being able to to pay household energy bills, with low-income people most at risk of having their utilities disconnected, according to Sanya Carley, a professor of energy policy and city planning at the University of Pennsylvania. Last year, energy utilities cut off power to about 3 million households, she noted. But even more households could be at risk this summer given the soaring mercury and the impact of inflat...

How hot does a car get in the sun? Here’s why heat can be so deadly in a parked car.

25Jul

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Health

How hot does a car get in the sun? Here’s why heat can be so deadly in a parked car.

The heat taking over much of the U.S. was nearly deadly for a baby in South Texas, with a viral video showing people having to break through the car's windshield to save him after he was accidentally locked inside with the keys. While the baby was saved and is believed to be OK, the incident is highlighting just how catastrophic extreme heat can be in parked vehicles. Extreme heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the U.S. Even when temperatures outside seem relatively low compared with what's been experienced in recent weeks, parked vehicles essentially become ovens under the sun's rays. So, how hot can a car get in the sun? All it takes is an 80-degree Fahrenheit day to bring the normal car temperature to triple digits. After just 20 minutes on ...