Photos: Workers Sweat it Out in the Heat

You think you're hot, darting from the car to the office or even toughing it out at home without air conditioning? Try working outside or in front of a grill during a heat wave.

Despite temperatures soaring toward the 100-degree mark, workers in Berkley and Huntington Woods were on the job delivering mail, mowing lawns, moving furniture and grilling up burgers Friday.

"Our business is very close to and (). These local cooks have spent long days 8-12 over hot grills serving us, and I just thought it might be cool to acknowledge them," reader Joseph Kunz e-mailed Berkley Patch on Friday. "During this outage, especially people like me who work 14 hours days are very thankful for their hard work."

Kunz noted that local restaurants with electricity and air conditioning have served as havens during the outage, providing nearby residents whose homes are without power places to cool down and grab a bite to eat.

Becky Bone, who owns  in Berkley, said the restaurant has been busy serving Huntington Woods residents affected by the outage.

"She's keeping DTE in business running the air conditioner and two fans," grill chef David Wheelock joked.

"I think it's easier to put up with the heat because you have to – the customers are hungry,"  he said.

Fortunately, most of the 75,000 utility customers without power in southeast Michigan should have their service restored soon, .

"Ninety percent who've been affected will have power restored tonight," spokesman Len Singer said. "The majority of the remainder will be restored by Saturday night."

The heat didn't stop College Hunks Hauling Junk employees David Lipa and Nicholas Burns from getting the job done Friday in Berkley as they moved furniture into a home on Tyler.

"It's miserable," a sweat-soaked Lipa said.

"It's a scorcher," agreed Burns.

While 100-degree temperatures and an excessive heat warning will continue in southeast Michigan through Saturday, the National Weather Service predicts a major cool down Sunday, with a high of 83 degrees.

The forecasting agency urges those who must spend time outside to take the following precautions:

• Reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
• Wear light-weight and loose-fitting clothing
• Drink plenty of water.
• Take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.

"Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location," the forecasting agency advised. "Heat stroke is an emergency – call 911."