The Hidden Cost of Aiken’s Growth: Protecting Our Outdoor Workforce from the Heat
In Aiken, we take pride in our growth—the new roads, the blooming developments, and the infrastructure that keeps our community moving. But as we watch our county expand under a relentless summer sun, there is a quiet, physiological toll being paid by the people building it. As a nurse, I’ve spent years treating the symptoms of heat exhaustion, but as a resident, I’m concerned about a systemic oversight: our outdoor workforce—from landscapers to construction crews—is facing a "new normal" of tri