Most of Michigan’s lower peninsula, including all of Metro Detroit, remains under an extreme heat warning until tomorrow night.  Temperatures are forecast to rise into the upper 90s Thursday, with high humidity.  The heat index could rise dangerously high, between 105 and 110 degrees. 

The weather could cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats and has a hard time cooling down.  Symptoms might include heavy sweating, dizziness and fatigue.  Heat stroke occurs when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees. That can be fatal.   

During this prolonged period of intense heat, there are things you can do to keep yourself and neighbors safe. 

Director of Emergency Preparedness for the City of Detroit Dr. Kelvin Freeman says residents should work in pairs to stay healthy. 

“Use a buddy system, check on your friend, check on your neighbor, especially those who live alone, and also have someone to check on you in that buddy system to close that loop.” 

Freeman says residents should stay hydrated and limit exposure to high temperatures, adding that fans alone won’t cool you down when temperatures and humidity are this high. 

He also recommends keeping your pets indoors during daylight hours. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

And make sure to double check your vehicle and make sure not to leave children or pets unattended in the car.  Temperatures inside a vehicle could rise quickly enough to become fatal within just a few minutes. 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 741,000 vehicles because of a possible transmission problem.  The company says a part of the parking system could engage while the vehicle is in motion, potentially damaging the system.  Enough damage could mean the system fails to hold the vehicle in place without use of the parking brake. 

The recall affects certain Ford F-150 pickup trucks, as well as Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition sport utility vehicles.  The vehicles are from the 2018 through 2021 model years.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Ford is aware of 24 possible cases of property damage and nine possible injuries connected to the issue.  Dealers will update certain software and inspect the transmission for damage.  They’ll make any necessary repairs for free. 

The Detroit City Council has narrowly approved a nine-month contract renewal for the ShotSpotter gun detection system.  The Director of the Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety Teferi Brent advocated for the contract. He says it allows police to respond quickly to de-escalate situations.   

“People say Shotstopper doesn't save lives—that's patently false, because the quicker that we can identify which shootings occur, we can identify who's doing the shooting, and once we identify who's doing the shooting, we can then prevent what we call in the field retaliatory violence.”   

Brent also listed several instances where ShotSpotter helped first responders aid victims. But some council members questioned both the effectiveness and the cost of the system. The Detroit Police say they are looking for a less expensive vendor to use after the contract ends. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley