Bay Area Deals With Extreme Heat Wave

108 degrees – that’s what the Martinez family estimates Tracy’s temperature reached on Tuesday.

In the afternoon, David and Jessica Martinez took their 15-month-old son to the water fountain in downtown Livermore for some cool and free relief.

“Something like this where they can go and it doesn’t cost any money, so that’s great, especially for families tight on money,” Martinez said. “It’s actually really unbearable. We actually drive a black car with no AC, so it’s even hotter inside our car than it usually is outside.”

Pleasanton hit triple-digits, as did Livermore, San Ramon and much of the East Bay.

Nathan Collins, a supervisor with Sky Power Solar based in San Ramon, said he has to help his workers install solar panels on roves in the Tri-Valley area.

“People definitely get lightheaded and dizzy,” Collins said. “[Then it’s] time to get down, get cover and hydrate. We actually had a guy who crashed his car on the way home because he just didn’t realize how dehydrated and tired he was just from being in the sun.”

Still, some weren’t as sympathetic. Daniel Perez and Ralph Salcido work as delivery men, both from Merced. NBC Bay Area spoke with them as they made their last stop in Pleasanton.

“It is cakewalk here because the heat here is not as humid as it is in the valley from where we’re at in Merced,” said Salcido.

Perez added, “You can feel it even worse - it’s just sticky. Being out here it’s a lot fresher, it makes a big difference.”

Joe Testa, a battalion chief with the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, told NBC Bay Area over the phone that medical calls go up about 25 percent during these sorts of heat waves.

The fact that the heat is staying for several days is what Testa said was worrisome.

Long-time East Bay residents like Pam Deaton, who works for the City of Pleasanton, agreed.

“As a resident for 20 years here, and I grew up in Danville all my life, I think the issue this time is such an extended period of time,” Deaton said.

With the heat waves, Livermore police say the number of calls about pets trapped in cars usually doubles. They say just last week when it was 87-degrees, a woman left her dog in the car for at least half-an-hour. Even in the shade with a window down, police say the temperature grew to be 107 degrees in the car.

COOLING CENTERS:

SAN JOSE

Tuesday-Wednesday, July 2+3 (8 a.m. – 10 p.m.)

  • Almaden Community Center, 6445 Camden Ave. 408-268-1133
  • Berryessa Community Center, 3050 Berryessa Road 408-251-6392
  • Camden Community Center, 3369 Union Ave. 408-559-8553
  • Cypress Community Center, 403 Cypress Ave. 408-244-1353
  • Evergreen Community Center, 4860 San Felipe Road 408-270-2220
  • Mayfair Community Center, 2039 Kammerer Ave. 408-794-1060
  • Roosevelt Community Center, 901 E. Santa Clara St. 408-794-7555
  • Seven Trees Community Center, 3590 Cas Drive 408-794-1690
  • Southside Community Center, 5585 Cottle Road 408-629-3336
  • Willows Community Center, 2175 Lincoln Ave. 408-448-6400

SAN RAMON

All week except Thursday, July 4:

  • San Ramon Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd; 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Alcosta Senior and Community Center, 9300 Alcosta Blvd; 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Dougherty Station Community Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd; 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • San Ramon Library, 100 Montgomery St; 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Dougherty Station Library, 17017 Bollinger Canyon Rd; noon-8 p.m.
  • San Ramon Pool, 9900 Broadmoor Dr.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
  • Dougherty Valley Aquatic Center, 10550 Albion Rd.; 12:30-3:30 p.m., 7:30-9 p.m.

PLEASANTON

Tuesday-Wednesday, July 2-3

  • Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Boulevard, 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m.
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