Austin, Travis Co. designate dozens of cooling centers during heat wave
Austin and Travis County are warning residents to be vigilant about the heat. The extreme temperatures facing Central Texas this week are not only uncomfortable but life-threatening. To help people keep cool, several cooling centers are open for those seeking relief.
“Even for Central Texans we're not used to having multiple days in the triple digits-- especially all in a row,” says Christa Stedman with Austin Travis County EMS. Medics are urging people to be mindful of when they’ll be outside and remember to eat and pre-hydrate, use sunscreen, wear light clothing, and listen to their bodies.
“If you’re planning on doing any sort of outdoor activity the recommendation would be early in the morning or in the evening as the sun starts to set,” Stedman says.
Austin and Travis County have designated cooling centers for people needing to escape the heat. Those include:
- Austin Public Libraries*
- Austin Recreation Centers*
- Austin Senior Centers
- Travis County Community Centers
- Art and Cultural Centers including the Mexican American Cultural Center, Asian American Resource Center, George Washington Carver Museum, and Dougherty Arts Center
*Exceptions: St. Johns Branch Library, Virginia Brown Recreation Center and Turner Roberts Recreation Center are not open as cooling centers.
“While the cooling centers are open and available for folks to use, they're still subject to their normal operating hours,” explains Stedman—meaning many locations will close beginning between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and could have reduced hours on weekends.
Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is following the weather closely. They’re currently in Phase 1 of Heat Preparedness which includes activating cooling centers and reaching out to vulnerable populations to make sure they know how to get help if needed.
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In late May Austin HSEM, Director Juan Ortiz told the Public Safety Committee his department was in the process of updating its heat plan.
“We've had several meetings with a working group to evaluate the conditions of the plan and what direction we're moving,” Ortiz said on May 23. HSEM said Tuesday the updated plan would not be complete for several more weeks.
Central Texans are also urged to be on alert for signs of heat exhaustion which include excessive sweating, headache, and muscle cramps. Signs of heat stroke include someone having an elevated body temperature or being hot to the touch as well as confusion or hallucinations.
“That's a true life-threatening emergency, so 911 needs to be activated right away so that we can come out and take some aggressive cooling measures and hopefully get that person back to feeling better,” Stedman says.
The heat is also particularly dangerous for the young, elderly, and pets—all of who have trouble regulating body temperature. Austin Pets Alive! encourages pet owners to:
- Exercise your pet lightly during the early morning and late evening hours and stick to shady areas.
- Keep your dog home and out of the elements from approximately 10 am to 8 pm. Don’t take your dog running during this time - it is just too dangerous.
- Never leave your dog in a car without the AC on. They can die very quickly.
- Include water in your dog’s play routine. Splash pads, baby pools, lakes, and rivers are all great ways to help your dog have a blast and stay cool. However, in the heat of the day, even water won’t keep your dog cool enough, so save these activities for morning and evening.