Heat safety amid scorching May temperatures in Fort Myers

It’s a hot summer, leaving people with the impression that a walk in the park felt more like an inferno.

The Fort Myers heat is hard to handle, regardless of attempts to evade it with umbrellas and hats.

In downtown Fort Myers, the upper 90s feel more like triple digits. These are some of the hottest temperatures in Southwest Florida thus far.

Jan Valentine and Janice Gucwa came to the streets as prepared as possible for the heat.

“The umbrella helps. It really does,” said Valentine.

However, even with the right accessories, the near-record heat remains relentless.

“It’s a little brutal. I mean, it’s OK, but I can’t imagine this is only the beginning,” said Gucwa, “that we have until November to deal with this. It just never used to be like this.”

Lee County health officials said with these record-high temperatures, some emergency rooms are seeing more cases of heat exhaustion than typical for this time of year.

Remember, the heat can be dangerous, and some of the best ways to keep yourself safe are to drink lots of water and limit your time in the sun.