Rooms, housing two women, have windows that do not open or have screens to allow any air to pass through. Metal doors are closed several times each day to count all inmates; when those doors are closed, no air passes through. Like a closed car in the sun, the room heats up higher than the air temperature. The showers that could be used for cooling have one temperature, a push-button control, that are set to hot water only which means the ladies sweat while in the shower. The heat causes the paint on the floors to become sticky and wet. Toilets and sinks sweat which cause water to pool on the floor of cells, leaving the floors a fall hazard.
In the last couple of weeks, women have been passing out and vomiting from the heat exhaustion. Staff have been recording the temperatures of the room as high as 98 degrees but unable to do anything to help the situation. Staff, especially those with medical conditions, are calling off from work because of the excessive heat in their workspaces. Women who take certain medications, those with breathing issues, and those who are elderly are affected the most. Ice machines are not able to produce enough ice, so no relief from a cold drink is available. Often, the ice that is produced is used by women first in line, leaving the rest of them without. The service dogs in training that live there have priority for the ice. Dangerously high temperatures affect correction officers’ ability to do their job as well as prevent teachers and students from focusing in classrooms. Families are cancelling visits to avoid jeopardizing their health in the non-air-conditioned visiting hall.
Lives continue to be at stake in Montgomery County! Seven incarcerated at the Montgomery County Jail in 2023 died, and advocates are asking for an investigation. We are all guilty if we allow more to die because we do not speak up and resolve the situation.
We must take action to protect human rights and human lives. We need leaders who are willing to lead and provide direction in the wake of injustice.
Heidi Arnold is a Dayton Correctional Institution ministry volunteer.
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