PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An unusually hot first Friday in September has inspired some school early releases and Multnomah County cooling centers to open for the second day in a row. But how are outdoor workers in Portland handling the heat?

With construction season well underway, workers are required to wear safety gear like hard hats, long heavy pants and long sleeves, even when temperatures reach record-breaking triple-digits like they did Thursday. Friday did not fare much better as temps soared into the 90s.

Construction workers told KOIN 6 News they get by via getting in more rest and hydration breaks, sometimes by seeking refuge in an air-conditioned trailer for a quick cooldown. They also put wet clothes on their heads and necks.

"I mean, just water, water, hydrate," said Garth Bishop, a construction worker. "Electrolytes, make sure you eat and get in the shade when you can when you're not working. And if you need a little break, our trailer over there has AC and everything."

James, a mail carrier, told KOIN 6 he's constantly on the move in the inner city, walking up and down steps all day. Lots of water is key to surviving it, along with a few other tricks, he said.

"Shade is super important to prioritize when you're parking," he said. "Especially walking, too. Like if you can get in the shade for a second to not be in the sun, right, super worth it."

In Oregon and Washington, employers are supposed to provide shade for outdoor workers once it turns 80 degrees. At 90 degrees, at least a 10-minute break every two hours is required. At 100 degrees, a 15-minute break is required every hour.

The Portland Covenant Church on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is one of two daytime cooling centers opened by Multnomah County on Friday. They were both also opened on Thursday. Only 11 people stopped by Thursday. During the previous heat wave, this same cooling center also saw low attendance.

KOIN 6 walked around the neighborhood, finding many homes or apartments had AC units. We asked Multnomah County why they don't find a different location for a cooling center.

"We think that every person who needs to get inside to cool off matters," said Rachel Pearl, a spokesperson for Multnomah County Human Services. "And we know that there's a lot of people that wouldn't be able to access other locations. And so that's one of the things we take into consideration. And again, we will be evaluating this."

Chris, who was headed to the church with his dog, Chance, told KOIN 6 he lives in a van and a friend told him about the center. He said he thinks the county should do better when it comes to getting the word out about the cooling centers.

"At least put like A-frame signs out. Or maybe get a little closer to Broadway, a little closer to where people are at," he said.

Due to wildfires in Oregon, air quality is also not the best right now. So it's a good idea to plan some inside activities. You'll also want to drink a quart of water per hour, whether you're outside or dripping with sweat indoors.