NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville's Metro Action Commission's Summer Cooling program is already out of air conditioners to provide to the elderly and people with small children who have certain medical conditions that make them sensitive to extreme heat.
For 16 years the commission's program has given new window air conditioner units to qualifying households.
Each unit is in the box with a manufacturer's warranty. The program runs from May 1 through September.
The tough economy coupled with the increased cost of fuel and food has impacted the amount of money people are giving to the Summer Cooling Program in 2011.
"Because this program is solely funded through cash donations or donations of new air conditioners, we have to wait for donations to become available so we can purchase additional units," Public Information Officer Lisa McCraedy explained.
Currently there are 20 families on the waiting list for air conditioners, but daily between 15 to 20 people call wanting to sign up for the program.
"Some of them have been braving the conditions. They have fans where they can try to stay cool," McCraedy said. "As those temperatures consistently stay above the mid 90s that can be dangerous to them."
Dr. Robert Macmillan is a family physician with Sterling Primary Care at Centennial Medical Center.
He told Nashville's News 2 the elderly are especially susceptible to the effects of long periods of high temperatures.
"They are less able to tell wow I am sweating a lot or I'm always thirsty," Dr. Macmillan said. "It can happen faster than you might think. It is not a matter of days or weeks like many people believe, it can simply be a few hours."
Dr. Macmillan said people should avoid being outside between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He said those are the peak times for heat.
He also said people should drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid drinks with caffeine such as tea because that can add to dehydration.
"If the temperature is high enough and the humidity is high enough, the body cannot efficiently cool itself," he said. "Once you get over 75% humidity the evaporative cooling of the human body does not work efficiently."
Thursday at Centennial Park Lacey Brunett could feel what Dr. Macmillan described. With temperatures in the 90s and the real feel near 100 degrees she was actually happy to be outside where she could catch a breeze with her daughter since the air conditioner at her apartment has been broken for a few days.
"We are using box fans and the rotating head fans. If we can catch a breeze outside I strip [my daughter] down to a diaper and sit her outside," she said, adding, "Its to hot to be in the apartment."
The Metro Action Commission said people should continue to apply for the Summer Cooling Program if they think they will qualify at 615-862-8860.
The commission calls those who are pre-qualified on the waiting list as soon as air conditioners are available.
Anyone who wants to donate air conditioners can do so at the Metro Action commission's office located at 1624 5th Avenue North in Nashville.
The air conditioners must be new in the box and unopened.
A $200 donation is enough to buy an air conditioner unit for someone in need.
Each person who receives an air conditioner unit gets to keep it and are not eligible to get another free unit for three years.
