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As Heat Rises, Kansas City Power & Light And Salvation Army Hand Out Fans And Water

With heat index values predicted to rise as high as 107 on Thursday, staff and volunteers from Kansas City Power and Light and the Salvation Army were handing out fans to help people stay cool.

KCPL spokesperson Jeremy McNeive said this is the sixth year the two organizations have partnered for the Extreme Heat Relief Program.

"We always want the hottest day of the year and, luckily, we got it," McNeive said.

McNeive said people who show ID and fill out a form can pick up a box fan, and the crews were handing out bottled water and heat rags as well.

The event was held at a new location this year, in a parking lot at the intersection of 18th Street and The Paseo. McNeive said he hoped its location near multiple bus stops would maximize traffic. People arrived by car and on foot.

A little after 8 a.m., Rick Zapata, who owns a small delivery company in North Kansas City, brought seven fans in his pickup truck to donate to the stockpile of 600.

"I thought it would be my time to donate to the community since I can a little bit," Zapada said. "Hopefully it'll go to seven people who can use them."

A man named Terry, who walked to the event, said he didn't have a fan in his house and he knew a lot of homeless people who would be picking up fans and water.

"We didn't have a spring, we went straight to summer," he said. "I'm just trying to take some things to the homeless or invite them in.

Nicolas Telep is KCUR's morning news intern. You can follow him on Twitter @NDTelep.

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