I think the headline says it all, but let me push a little something into the mix. Cities like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. don’t have the infrastructure to deal with heat like this. I fondly remember my days of living in New York, and the summer’s were the absolute worst. Stepping off the subway to smell urine. Climbing up to the street level to smell…urine. Personal stank, sweat, stickiness, urine, whatever concoction you can think of, these Northeastern cities reek of it during the summer months.

When things get as hot as they have been the last few days, electrics are bound to fail. That’s the concern in areas such as NYC. Everyone will be cranking the air-conditioners, and that’ll put even more stress on the provided utilities.

I’ll never forget strolling through my Queens neighborhood during the late afternoon heat in 2001–I was heading to the corner store to grab something cold to drink, and a little something to snack on.

As I approached the intersection, I noticed some smoke beginning to gather in a storm sewer. I hopped into the store, asked the clerk if he noticed it. He replied,”Naw. Huh-uh. Musta just started.”

By the time I grabbed my chocolate milk (which was a bad choice), and cookies, I walked back out to the street to see that the smoke had reached what I considered a “billowing” status. I returned to the store. “Um, someone might oughtta call ConEdison.”

The clerk peeked out to see. “Oh, sh*t.”

About the time I made it back to my apartment, I heard what sounded like mortar fire coming from behind me. My eyes went saucer-city, and I turned to make a run back to the intersection. (Like I said, the milk was a bad choice.) ConEdison was on the scene, NYFD was on the scene, NYPD was on the scene, flames were coming out of the sewer and the manhole. The steel-plate, manhole cover had been blown in two. I kid…you not.

I know a lot of people in a lot of places think folks are pansies for complaining about summer heat, but there is genuine concern for continued heat in the city that never sleeps: Power losses, health hazards and of course, the chance of another classic NYC blackout.

Fortunately, today should be the final day of the extreme heat–just a few more hours to go.

(Image via: LIFE)