Weather officials say July was the hottest month in recorded history and that is actually pretty easy to believe. With consistent breezes and a little more elevation than Phoenix, Fountain Hills has not been subjected to a full month of relentless temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, but when it reaches a certain point, who is going to notice? The thermometer generally ranged between 105 and 110 degrees at Fountain Park, peaking at 113 degrees on two occasions, and there were another two days that reached 109. Overnight lows ranged in the mid to upper 80s with just one day at 90.

According to Fountain Hills Fire Chief Dave Ott, there were no emergency responses related to heat during July. That includes welfare checks and AC breakdowns. He imagines that most people staying in the community during the summer months are pretty well adapted to the heat and know how to adjust.

There are people who work outside and they need to adapt as best they can. The basic rule of thumb is start early and stay hydrated. Town of Fountain Hills Interim Community Services Director Kevin Snipes oversees those who work at the Town park facilities.

“Staff makes sure that they stay well hydrated and try their best to schedule the hardest work activities early in the morning to help minimize heat exposure,” Snipes said. “This is one of the reasons staff starts at 5 a.m. during the summer months. Staff can also get in their trucks or park offices for some cooldown time at the parks as needed. Loading up on water and electrolytes the day before is key to staying hydrated, even more so than the water they drink during the day.”

That is true of firefighters also, hydration is almost a continuous routine for those who may need to face the heat of a fire.

Jeff Pierce is the Street Department superintendent for the Town of Fountain Hills. His discussion regarding crews working in the heat is nearly the same as Snipes’. They start at 5:30 a.m. and the first couple of hours are the time for the heavy work to get done. As it warms up the crews can find work in the shade and shelter of the street yard doing light work like maintaining inventories and keeping up on supplies. There is also some phone work to do, checking on and ordering Blue Stake evaluations for upcoming digging. The crew members also take to the streets in vehicles during the heat of the day to make note of potholes, tree trimming for line-of-sight safety and other work that needs follow-up in the early hours the next day.

Ott also notes there have been no calls for heat-related exposure on the Town’s mountain preserve trails, although he does say snakes seem to be more active in the higher temperatures. There was consideration of closing the trail access during the high temperatures, but that was not done.

“We have seen very limited numbers of hikers in the last couple of weeks,” Snipes said. “Even the regulars seem to be staying away for now.”

The Town has posted information related to heat exposure and recognizing symptoms of heat illness at the trailheads.

“Those who chose to go out on the trails know what to look for when it comes to heat related issues,” Snipes said.

Just after 7 a.m. a bicyclist rides into the parking lot at Adero Canyon Trailhead. The temperature is still around 90 degrees and there is a nice breeze blowing across the hillsides. Richard Kay rides frequently from his home in Scottsdale and the trailhead, as it is for many bikers, is a favorite spot to take a breather, refill water containers and cool down before making the ride back down the hill. Kay said those who enjoy hiking or biking need to be aware of the limitations of their body, stay hydrated and take advantage of the coolest temperatures available. After his rest, Kay climbs back on the bike and heads down the road for his 12-mile trip home before it reaches 100 degrees.