Many people in McKinney are feeling the heat more than the rest of us.
For the second day in a row, the power has gone out at their homes during the hottest time of day.
As of Thursday evening, about 1,500 homes in and around McKinney were without electricity. Many of the homes are in a neighborhood near Highway 75 and El Dorado Parkway.
Some homeowners say the power went out at about 1 p.m. and was still out as of 10 p.m. Others already had powered restored.
Oncor crews were seen swarming this neighborhood Thursday evening trying to find the problem.
An Oncor spokesperson said later that two transformers blew and confirmed it was the result of added strain on the system.
No timetable was given for when electricity will be completely restored.
Homeowners coped with no air conditioning by keeping blinds, doors and refrigerators closed to preserve as much cool air as possible.
“It doesn't help anybody in the neighborhood when the temp is 108 or 109 degrees without electrical power. my wife Judy and I have talked about it. It's something that often we take for granted,” said homeowner Dick Thompson.
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Oncor says the outage is isolated and that they're prepared to handle strain on the system in the days ahead.
Several electric companies are encouraging people to conserve electricity between 2 and 6 p.m. on Friday.
| With such oppressive heat in the forecast, North Texans are reminded to check on their friends and loved ones with health problems as they may be among the most susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. As always, never leave young children or pets unattended in an enclosed vehicle, even for a short amount of time, as temperatures can quickly rise to threatening levels. Pets should not be left unattended outdoors for more than a few minutes. Water is the cornerstone to staying safe this week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials said it's important to start drinking before becoming thirsty and if you know you're going to be out in the heat, begin drinking water the night before. Officials recommend staying indoors, but anyone who must be outside should drink a cup of water about every 20 minutes and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. |
| According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of heat stroke include hot, dry skin or profuse sweating; hallucinations, chills, throbbing headache, high body temperature, confusion/dizziness and slurred speech. Take the following steps to treat a worker with heat stroke: Call 911 and notify their supervisor. Move the sick worker to a cool shaded area. Cool the worker using methods such as: Soaking their clothes with water. Spraying, sponging, or showering them with water. Fanning their body. |
| According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, extreme weakness or fatigue, dizziness and confusion, nausea, clammy or moist skin, pale or flushed complexion, muscle cramps, slightly elevated body temperature and fast or shallow breathing. Treat a worker suffering from heat exhaustion with the following: Have them rest in a cool, shaded or air-conditioned area. Have them drink plenty of water or other cool, nonalcoholic beverages. Have them take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath. |
