‘Let the robots take care of it’: Some Philadelphia crews turn to modern technology to stay cool in scorching heat

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — In the 21st century, we have developed new ways to cope with the extreme heat while working outdoors.

The simple answer some have found is this: let a robot do it!

On Tuesday, Salim Wiggins was mowing the lawn with a remote-controlled lawnmower on the Philadelphia Water Department property in Strawberry Mansion.

Wiggins said PWD invested in the technology less than two years ago, but it has come in handy when temperatures reach 90 degrees.

“Yeah, let’s get a robot to do it,” he said. “You can be in the shade. Sometimes you have to climb a hill. With this technology, you can get a robot to do all the walking up the hill and all that.”

Reference | Extreme heat: How to find cooling centers during dangerously high temperatures in Philadelphia

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to robots that can do the dirty work.

Action News spotted Pennsylvania Department of Transportation crews working along Interstate 95 near the Linden Avenue Bridge.

Deputy Director of Public Affairs Brad Rudolph says the team isn’t the only one working in the scorching heat.

“All kinds of maintenance work is done at this time of year, like fixing potholes, repairing foundations, repairing plumbing, washing road shoulders, etc. It’s also construction season,” Rudolph said.

He also noted that these workers are trained to look out for each other when working in extreme heat, including recognizing the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

So the PA Department of Transportation is encouraging commuters to be considerate and avoid causing additional anxiety for workers.

“Give them the space they need and of course watch your speed. We don’t want anyone to get hurt on the roads especially when we’re working on improving them,” Rudolph said.

Much of the region remains under an Air Quality Alert Code Orange, meaning unhealthy conditions for young children, older adults and people with lung disease.

WATCH | ‘Code Orange’ air quality alert issued for parts of Philadelphia area as heat wave continues