The extreme heat in the Valley is making it brutal for workers doing their jobs outside. ABC15 followed a pest control technician who battles the intense conditions day in and day out.
The extreme heat has stretched on for days.
"Yeah, it does get hot, but you know what? We expect it to get hot around here,” said Jeremy Miller.
The heat might be nothing new, but it has been downright scorching the last couple of weeks.
The conditions can be especially challenging for people who work outside.
Miller, the Co-Owner of Urban Desert Pest Control, welcomed ABC15 Wednesday to one of his job sites in south Phoenix.
Miller says he visited a dozen properties in his 12-hour workday and sprayed fence lines and walkways trying to keep places clear of desert critters.
"Anything, pretty much, that has an edge. Most insects will make their way to an edge and follow that line,” said Miller.
The long days, Miller says, allow him the opportunity to do a job he loves.
But, the excessive heat does take a toll.
"For sure, by the end of the day, I'm zapped,” said Miller. “You know? I am ready to just sit down and do nothing."
The more daylight, Miller says, the more work he does and the hotter he sometimes feels.
But, he knows the extreme conditions are far from over.
"I mean hot is hot. But, quite honestly, we've had hotter summers and I know we are just barely at the beginning of this stretch of the heat,” said Miller. "You just learn to duck into the shade as much as possible, drink lots of water and soak in the air conditioning when you can."
Aside from stepping into the shade and taking quick breaks when he can, Miller says, helping anyone manage the excessive heat when working outside comes down to changing their mindset.
"You got to be psychologically prepared. You got to know when you get up in the morning, walk out the door even at 5:00 a.m. and it's 91 degrees, that it is just going to be hot all day long,” said Miller.
