OTTUMWA —
Drink plenty of water and try to take regular breaks.
Those are words to live by for outdoor workers who must deal with sun, rain, heat, cold and whatever else nature provides for the day.
Bo Cottrell is a superintendent with Iowa Bridge & Culvert and a 25-year veteran of surviving the weather to make his money. His current job is supervising the bridge work on Quincy Avenue near Applebee’s.
“I was better at handling this heat when I was younger,” Cottrell added.
Although Jesse Cottrell is younger than Bo, he’s also a veteran of working outdoors daily.
“Having air conditioning in the backhoe helps, too,” Jesse Cottrell said. “And you should stand in the shade when you can.”
Wade Weber of Iowa City worked on picking up tools and debris, but he took his time. Some people might criticize him, but it’s the best way to do his job while working in sunny heat.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines said late Monday afternoon that the forecast for this week has changed very little from last Friday’s predictions.
“There will be little change from before, and we’ll have that through this week,” said NWS Meteorologist Brad Small. “The highs will be in the mid to upper 90s, and the heat indices will be 100 to 105 in the late afternoons through Saturday.”
If there is a break in the weather, it won’t be until early next week, according to Small.
Local News
Related Photos
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Wade Weber checks for trash and debris near the Quincy Avenue bridge work site early Monday afternoon. While he didn’t move quickly, his pace was steady, and that’s how outdoor workers should handle themselves in intense heat. Weber works for Iowa Bridge & Culvert, the contractor that’s handling the bridge work for Wapello County. Cindy Toopes/The Courier
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