Gratitude for the NJ workers who braved the intense summer heatwaves

As of this writing, New Jersey has had two heatwaves in 2025. The first one, which lasted nearly a week, occurred toward the beginning of the summer season.

The second one, which is concluding now, happened at the end of July. And there is no doubt that more heatwaves are possible before the summer season is completely out.

When this crazy heat hits, most of us are urged to stay indoors in a nice air conditioned space. And for the most part, we try to do that.

Working in the heat

But there are some people who don't get that luxury. Sometimes, they have to even be dressed in heavier clothes when the temperature is near 100 degrees with a heat index much higher than that thanks to the oppressive humidity.

A few examples that come to mind of such workers are those who work on utility lines, or those who do emergency road work. And of course, there's the HVAC crew that works overtime helping keep the rest of us cool.

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And of course, we can't forget about emergency personnel like police and firefighters. There are so many other jobs where people have to be in the extreme heat when it hits, so just consider those as a handful an examples.

To all the heatwave workers

As heatwave #2 comes to a close, I just want to take a moment and thank you all for what you do. It's not easy to be out there, and trust me, most of us probably wouldn't be able to handle ourselves in those conditions like you do.

Remember to also take care of yourself, because that's just as important. Thanks again to every worker that braves the heat to keep the rest of New Jersey moving. Doesn't matter how big or small the job is, what you do matters.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.