SYRACUSE -- Record-breaking temperatures were causing problems for students and workers across Central New York on Wednesday.
The Syracuse Academy of Science charter school let students out around noon. Usually, they're dismissed at 4:00 pm.
Dean of Academics Linda Spencer says the school does not have air conditioning, and officials were concerned students would faint. They also worried how the stifling heat would affect children with asthma.
"Every time I go by a student, they say 'It's hot, Miss,'" says Spencer. "It's just extremely heavy and uncomfortable."
She says this is only the second time in eight years the school has dismissed students because of the heat.
The high temperatures were also creating a challenge for some workers. In the back room at Patrick's Cleaners, the temperatures hovered around 100 degrees.
The owner says dry cleaning involves steam, which forces the temperature in the room to rise. He says to beat the heat, the company has fans going and is making the work day shorter to help the workers.
Dr. Jeremy Joslin, who works in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Upstate University Hospital, says it's important for people to remember the basics when these temperatures hit. Drink plenty of water, and if you're doing anything outside, take plenty of breaks.
Joslin says it's also important to keep an eye on the people around you. He says, usually, if someone is suffering from heat stroke and needs help, that person becomes disoriented and will need help from others to get to the hospital.
He says people with heart conditions need to be extra careful in this weather, and people need to be aware the humidity can cause health problems as well.
