For outdoor workers, the job must go on despite brutal SoCal heat wave

Outdoor workers deal with SoCal heat wave

From firefighters and mail carriers, to mechanics and even farriers, outdoor workers continue to toll away despite triple-digit temperatures across Southern California.

LOS ANGELES - No matter how hot it is in Southern California — and it is hot outside right now — there are jobs that have to get done, and people making it work.

We are used to seeing postal workers and street repair personnel, but imagine being a firefighter, responding to a fire when it's already 116 degrees outside. Or the technicians repairing electrical pole lines.

"All you can do is drink water, and drink water, and drink water" one told FOX 11 Thursday, "but if you don't think that heat rises, get up on that cherry picker on top of the line," he added with a smile.

It's also awfully hot beneath a 2,000-pound draft horse, which is exactly where farrier Ruben Hernandez spent Thursday, when FOX 11 caught up with him in Lake View Terrace — where it was 107 degrees.

"It's 117 in the Antelope Valley," he said. "We have horses we have to get to, they are on a schedule, and it's critical to keep those hooves healthy."

It's not just animals who need servicing in this heat, but also modern vehicles. AAA has been responding to a lot of calls from customers who found their electric vehicle batteries dead this morning, even though they thought they were charged.

"It's the heat," said Jessie Rivas from Mini Tek Auto Repair. "The heat drains batteries." His North Hollywood auto shop is full of vehicles whose owners waited until the summer to check air conditioning units. "It should be done way before summer," he explained, "when parts are cheaper, and before the units overheat and break down."

FOX 11 Photographer James Wulff

His shop has no AC, as most auto shops have to be open for ventilation. He depends on a water cooler, which does keep the temperature at 99, while the outside is checking in at 107 degrees.

So to all those auto mechanics and repair people working outside; to the food vendors, mail and delivery people; the farriers, dog walkers, news camera people carrying heavy equipment; to everyone who is making it work outside in the heat today: our hats off to you. Stay cool, hydrated and safe.