The month of August opened with a bang Tuesday as temperatures neared triple digits across Long Island.

Residents struggled to beat the heat, with many heading to beaches and pools to cool off. The Melville Fire Department made the task a little easier for kids at the Kenwal Day Camp, bringing in a fire truck and hosing down 600 youngsters. Many say cold water is the key to staying comfortable in the sweltering heat.

Keeping cool is more difficult for others who can?t afford to run an air conditioner all day long. Pamela Jamerson in Roosevelt says she relies on a ceiling fan and sitting in the dark to get through the days.