People may perceive that the heat is not a big deal. Major League baseball games are still played. President Clinton jogged and played golf in Washington last week when the temperature soared toward 100. The White House defends Clinton. At the same time, a few miles away, a National Park Service ranger collapsed and died after bicycling about 12 miles along the Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia.
Northern cities are more vulnerable to heat waves for two reasons.
One, people are not as acclimated to the high temperatures and humidity. Also, housing is built to keep heat in during winter, not to let it escape during summer. The top floors of brick buildings with tar roofs can be 10 degrees hotter than floors below. Philadelphia got the message about killing heat in June 1993 when 118 people died in a wave. Now the city is testing a new watch and warning system.