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Summer sizzle

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jul 11, 2001

As recent temperatures have soared, more swimmers have decided it’s time to take the plunge.
From July 3-8, the Tonganoxie Swimming Pool recorded 940 swimmers. The high was Saturday, when 200 people came to the pool.
Lifeguard Josh Hagg said the average attendance the week before was around 85.
“We’ve been pretty busy since the third,” Hagg said. “The slide has been pretty popular.”
Lifeguards were able to take vacations earlier in the summer, but Hagg said the pool has needed four lifeguards at stations most of the time now.
“Before this year, we needed more than two lifeguards two or three times a year,” Hagg said. “We’ve needed four every day this year.”
The lifeguards added some relief in the form of a fire hose spraying swimmers on Monday. The children enjoyed the extra water.
“When we shut the hose off, they started booing and then chanted ‘hose, hose, hose,'” Hagg said.
The use of water hasn’t been a problem for the city either.
Butch Rodgers, public works director, said the drought hasn’t caused a limit on the water supply.
“It hasn’t been an issue,” Rodgers said. “If the weather stays the same for another three weeks or a month, then it will probably be a problem.”
The city buys its supply from Bonner Springs, and at this point, Rodgers said everything is under control.
Philip Stevens, Tonganoxie physician, said it’s important to drink plenty of fluids when the mercury rises.
“The main thing is to stay well-hydrated,” Stevens said. “People need to drink a lot of water or a sport drink such as Gatorade.”
Stevens said the sun can give people a deep burn, so wearing sunscreen and light clothing is helpful, along with limiting time spent in the sun.
If one is used to working outdoors, one can handle the heat better, he said.
Stevens said a person should know how much heat they can tolerate.
“Don’t run the marathon if you’ve been in the air conditioning all summer,” Stevens said.
Energy bills can also be a concern with increasing temperatures.
Mark Schreiber, Kansas Power and Light manager, said appliances such as dishwashers, ovens and washers and dryers should be used during cooler hours.
“Those appliances are major heat producing appliances,” Schreiber said. The more you can leave them off, the cooler it will be.”
Schreiber also said filters on air conditioners should be kept clean.
“And, if you have an air conditioner, you should leave it at one temperature,” he said.