ST. LOUIS — During record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday, local leaders came together to find solutions for people to survive the extreme heat.
In downtown St. Louis, 800 donated air conditioning units were loaded onto trucks to be taken to some of the most vulnerable people in the area.
The dangers of temperatures this high, which can shut down air conditioners, was one of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday morning's gathering with Ameren Missouri.
Organizations like the Urban League, the St. Louis County Housing Authority, and first responders all swapped stories about the recent stretch of suffocating heat.
The St. Louis Fire Department told 5 On Your Side they responded to a call in north St. Louis Monday night for two elderly and disabled women.
"It's maybe 86-87 degrees outside but once you entered their home there was a noticeable difference," Capt. Garon Mosby said. "It was much hotter on the inside even though it 'cooled off' to some degree outside."
Their home was at 94 degrees at 11:30 p.m. Monday, Mosby said. The air conditioning had been broken since Saturday.
"Check on your seniors," Mosby said. "Their bodies don't regulate temperatures like they used to, so we were happy to go there. It was at 11:30 p.m. at night but we are sort of a 24-hour operation."
It's the reason why local leaders are providing more energy efficient air conditioners for vulnerable individuals, according to Ameren Chairman and President Mark Birk.
"Thank you for joining us for this summer tradition that saves lives," Birk said. It's the 24th anniversary of Cooldownstlouis.org’s “Save our Seniors” Cooling Summer Project. Ameren Missouri has participated in the program for 19 years.
Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe said the 800 units donated by Ameren this week are a crucial step forward but likely won't be enough after the need he's seen over the last few years.
"A lot of people have air conditioners in their home that are older, don't work, or are very inefficient," Kehoe said.
With his family from north St. Louis, Kehoe has dealt with many of the hurdles that come with helping seniors in the summer heat.
"They have a lot of pride," Kehoe said. "Seniors don't want to ask other people for help. We've got to have neighbors checking on neighbors, making sure those neighbors that live in those homes and our veterans community understand there are resources out there, and you can take help graciously, is what I used to tell my mother and grandmother."
On average, Ameren tells us these energy-efficient air conditioners cost less than a dollar a day to operate.
If you're an older adult, someone with disabilities or a low-income family in need of air-conditioning help, you're encouraged to contact Cool Down St. Louis.