LA CROSSE, Wis. -- The unrelenting heat has made its way into Minnesota and Wisconsin and the end is still a few days away.  Temperatures rose into the 90s in the La Crosse area today; heat indices surpassed 110 degrees.

Tri-State Ambulance says they have not been receiving a dramatically increased number of calls for heat related illnesses.  The Scenic Bluffs Chapter of the American Red Cross is on standby to be activated if electrical outages should occur in the area.  They are prepared to set up a cooling station and offer the relief they are able.

Until the need for those services is in place, people in the area have been finding their own way to stay cool.  One way families in La Crosse were beating the heat was by spending time at the splashpad in Copeland Park. 

"We're just drinking plenty of water and giving the kids something to do to enjoy the weather," said Perry June, a La Crosse resident, "it's hot out here, you've got to enjoy the weather."

Other families in the area continued with their plans and attended the La Crosse Interstate Fair in West Salem.  Medics on staff were relieved to share that only three heat related incidents had occurred on the fairgrounds.  Precautions taken both by the staff and attendants helped make this possible, but reminders of heat safety were happily offered. 

"I think people understand it's hot; I think they know they have to stay hydrated, but it's the eating they forget to keep the energy up," said Wayne Atchley, the lead first aid attendant, "You have to be aware of the signals; if you start sweating profusely you need to get into some cooler grounds."

And the fairgrounds offered plenty of shaded areas for people to sit and rest.  People running the fair were also sure to take care of the large number of animals taking a part in the showcase.  The horses especially play a large role in the events, such as the La Crosse County Mounted Drill Team, who performed every day of the fair.  Their coach, Jessica Ahnen, made it clear to the entire team that it was important to take care of their horses. 

"We're just making sure they're well hydrated, that they're drinking plenty of water, and getting electrolytes; we are making sure they're getting cooled off well after they're riding and we're feeding them," Ahnen continued, "We also hose them off with nice cold water and make sure we're not working them too hard and that they're staying hydrated with this hot weather."