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Despite Heat Wave, Some Philadelphia Inmates -- And Guards -- Get No Air Conditioning

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - While some of Philadelphia's prisons have air conditioning, some of the biggest and oldest facilities do not.

And that leaves both prisoners and corrections officers sweltering when temperatures reach into the 90s and above, as they are today.

"Three of our facilities have air conditioning," says prisons system spokesman Bob Eskind, "but the House of Corrections does not.  It was built in 1927.  The Detention Center does not have air conditioning.  So that's about 2,000 inmates, all told, who are not in air conditioning."

Eskind says that every effort is made to provide some relief to prisoners and guards by using fans, keeping everyone hydrated, and allowing inmates to wear shorts (even though officers must be in full uniform).

When lengthy temperature extremes occur, Eskind says inmates with medical problems are moved to air conditioned facilities.

Reported by Al Novack, KYW Newsradio 1060

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