Heat wave sweeps Long Island

Residents across Long Island's South Shore were dealing with sweltering heat this week, as temperatures exceeded the century mark on Tuesday and stayed in the high 90s on Wednesday.  
   
The Town of Hempstead and Nassau County opened cooling centers and extended pool hours for residents during the heat wave. Thirteen cooling centers, which are air-conditioned, opened on Tuesday. The hours at many outdoor pools were extended by an hour.
   
The Long Island Power Authority said it had an “adequate power supply” to meet Long Island’s electrical demands during the heat wave, though a number of Bellmore residents were reporting power outages on Wednesday.
   
 Because of increased demand during the heat wave, LIPA requested that customers conserve energy throughout the day. Conservation tips included refraining from use of non-essential lights and appliances, which could include washing machines, dryers and dehumidifiers. In the event of an outage, customers were advised to call (800) 490-0075.
  
The Hempstead Town Water Department advised residents to refrain from lawn watering and unnecessary water usage until further notice. For further information, call the department at (516) 794-8181.
  
Only a relative handful of people ventured out in the heat at Eisenhower Park on Tuesday afternoon. Three men didn’t seem to care about the temperature and were playing bocce, though they said they were planning to cool off afterward.
  
“We came here to play bocce ball and then [we’re] going swimming in my pool,” said Herb Deitman of Bellmore.