The heat is on

Callaway officials advise to stay cool during heat wave

August 30, 2013 at 6:00 a.m. | Updated August 30, 2013 at 6:00 a.m.

The Central Bank thermometer on Fifth Street in downtown Fulton reads 103 degrees Thursday afternoon. With an anticipated heat index over 100 today, the Fulton and South County football games have been postponed to 8 p.m.
The Central Bank thermometer on Fifth Street in downtown Fulton reads 103 degrees Thursday afternoon. With an anticipated heat index over 100 today, the Fulton and South County football games have been postponed to 8 p.m.

With a heat index creeping over 100 degrees today, Callaway County residents are encouraged to stay cool and hydrated.

Temperatures in Callaway have been in the high 90s for the past week. Today is projected to have a heat index as high as 102, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The high temperatures, coming at the end of a relatively mild summer, prompted school officials at both Fulton and South Callaway to postpone the start of their football games to 8 p.m. It's a move Callaway Director of Emergency Management Michelle Kidwell said was a good one.

Kidwell advised local residents to stay inside as much as possible during the hot hours of the day. For people without air conditioning, she said the county did not have an official cooling station open at this time but the Callaway County Senior Center and the library in Fulton were both available, as well as the county courthouse during business hours.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.