Workers prepare for the heat, while some Plano residents are left without power

Fort countless North Texans, the outdoor jobs don't stop -- even when temperatures are sizzling.

In Plano, some outdoor workers beat the heat by making the most of mornings and stocking up on water.

In the case of Dallas Door Refinishing, adding a pop-up canopy along Millington Drive was a lifesaver Wednesday. It not only provided grandfather and grandson much-needed shade but protected their customer's refinished door from the blistering sun rays.

"It would dry out so fast that it would kind of bubble up. The heat would just dry too fast," said Joe McGahan.

Nine years at it, and brutal heat like this still takes a toll.

"I got too hot yesterday," he said. "Always know when it gets too hot, I sort of get sick to my stomach. So just go get in my truck, drink plenty of fluids and try to get it going."

From those exposed to the elements outside to those left without power at home.

"We were scrambling for batteries for backup fans," said Woody Lusk who lost power.

Residents in Plano's River Bend neighborhood say they're fed up after repeated power outages affecting the same 58 homes near Brees Street, despite Oncor repairing equipment and replacing transformers.

"We thought we had our power issue resolved for our neighborhood here, and at 8:45 last night the power went off. This time for two hours," Lusk said.

Lusk, a longtime resident, provided a log of sporadic outages since March and repeated pleas for help.

"Oncor needs to get someone back out here and actually figure out what it is that's still causing this problem," he said.

He's concerned it may take a resident getting sick, or worse, for a real fix to the issue.

"You don't feel secure at this point knowing that you're going to have power," Lusk said.

Oncor provided the following statement to NBC 5.

"We recognize that power interruptions for any reason are difficult for our customers, and we strive to restore every outage as quickly and safely as possible. The vast majority of outages that have impacted this area in recent months have been the result of severe weather, which has included strong winds and a significant amount of lightning. Following these recent outages, Oncor personnel have thoroughly inspected the facilities in this area to identify possible reliability enhancing improvements. As a result, additional tree trimming and various equipment upgrades have been completed. 

Two of the outages, including the most recent outage yesterday evening, were the result of an underground cable failure. Addressing underground cable in this area, including performing repairs or replacements, has been a focus by Oncor. This specific cable was actually in the process of being addressed when the failure occurred, and that work is ongoing. Unfortunately, work on underground facilities can take longer to safely access, diagnose and repair. We appreciate the patience of our customers as our reliability work in this area continues."

HEAT SAFETY TIPS

With heat like this, you'll want to take precautions and be prepared.

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors to ensure they stay cool.

Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, if it's 95 degrees outside a car's internal temperature could climb to 129 degrees in 30 minutes. After just 10 minutes, temperatures inside could reach 114 degrees.

A child's body temperature heats up three to five times faster than an adult's, and heatstroke can begin when a person's core body temperature reaches 104 degrees. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, a core temperature of 107 degrees is lethal.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments to reduce risk during outdoor work. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heatstroke is an emergency! Call 911. The CDC has more information on heat-related illnesses.

Take care of your pets by providing fresh, cool water and shade. Also, pets should not be left outside and unattended for too long. It's too hot and they need to be brought inside.