BEND, OR -- The excessive heat warning for much of our area is supposed to expire Wednesday night, and highs are starting to come down. But the prolonged heatwave is keeping Bend Police busy, as officers respond to vulnerable people, "Who might be unhoused or they don't have air conditioning, and are really suffering in this heat," says the department's Sheila Miller. "If they see someone who's in distress, obviously they're going to call medics. All of our officers are trained in first aid, so they're able to render some aid before medics get there."

Miller tells KBND News, "With the heat, we definitely do see a lot of calls for service of people who are concerned about community members they might see out and about." And she asks people to continue calling for help, "We encourage our community members, if they see someone in distress, call 911. We'll get medics out there. Officers might be the first ones on the scene and they can assist. And check on your neighbors; check in with people in your community to make sure they're doing okay."

But, she notes, officers are also dealing with more fights and similar types of calls, "You know, people get real mad when it's hot out. So we encourage everyone to take a deep breath and hopefully the heat will pass soon and life will go back to being a little more bearable."

If you need to escape the heat, local libraries also serve as daytime cooling shelters. You can also call 211 for other locations and resources.