With temperatures nearing 100 degrees, heat exhaustion can set in within minutes. That's why Durham Rescue Mission spent the afternoon searching for people who could be in serious danger.
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"We don't want them to stand out in this heat and pass out," Durham Rescue Mission Chaplain Lynn Holloway said.
This is what's called Operation Rescue. Workers are on assignment, searching for people to help before the temperatures get the best of them. Wednesday, workers found a few people and gave them snacks, water and information about cooling stations.
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"It went well. If he wants to come in, he will. He's been at the mission before. Hopefully, he'll come down and receive our help," Holloway said.
According to Gary Beasley with Durham Rescue Mission, the average life expectancy for a homeless person is 52 years old. The overall life expectancy in the United States is 76 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Anybody can come in. We let them take showers. They get clothes...We will feed them. We make sure they drink water and sit in the air," Beasley said.
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Triangle hospitals told ABC11 over the last week there have been many emergency room visits for heat exhaustion but few admissions. Some signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, nausea, headache, dizziness, muscle cramps and weakness.
That's why beating the heat and staying cool could be the difference between life and death. The Durham Rescue Mission plans to extend hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. as temperatures continue to skyrocket.