To help North Texans combat intense heat in the coming weeks, several counties have established “cooling stations” for residents to use.
Dallas and Tarrant counties are among those that will host cooling centers, according to NBC 5. There are also cooling stations in the city of Plano.
“The City of Dallas is currently experiencing extreme heat,” Dallas City News shared. “In order to help our residents stay safe during the extended heat advisory, cooling stations have been set up in each district. These cooling stations will provide normal services, air conditioning, and limited supplies of water for individuals who come to the stations.”
Locations include the MLK Rec Center, West Dallas Multipurpose Center, Tommie Allen Rec Center, and Lake Highlands North Rec Center.
In Tarrant County, facilities such as libraries and community centers are being used as cooling stations for residents, NBC 5 reported. These facilities are part of the Tarrant Cares network.
Facilities in the Tarrant Cares network include the Arlington Public Library, Como Community Center, Fire Station Community Center, Northside Community Center, and Fort Worth Public Library.
The City of Denton website shared that “per policy, designated city facilities that are heated and/or air-conditioned with public access to restrooms, water fountains, and sitting areas will serve as warming or cooling centers during normal operations to serve individuals needing relief from extreme temperatures.”
The Civic Center, Our Daily Bread, North Lakes Rec Center, and more are serving as Denton County cooling stations.
“When extreme weather conditions exist, community providers may open their shelters to serve as daytime cooling or warming stations and extended their shelter hours,” the City website states. “Providers prepare by offering locations with air conditioning or heating, emergency food, and water. In terms of preparedness, plan ahead by calling or using their online resources to confirm capacity or to see how you can help.”
The inclement weather policy in Denton goes into effect if temperatures are expected to reach above 100 degrees or fall under 32 degrees and the City declares an emergency for weather conditions.
On July 11, the City of Plano announced that each library, excluding Harrington, will serve as a cooling center. Other cooling stations in the city include the Oak Point Recreation Center, Carpenter Recreation Center, and the Sam Johnson Recreation Center.
North Texans can also find cooling stations this summer through the Salvation Army.
“As temperatures rise, heat-related illness becomes a real threat in our community, especially for vulnerable communities such as seniors, the very young, people with chronic diseases, and those experiencing homelessness and poverty,” the Salvation Army of North Texas shared.
Salvation Army partners Reliant and Westlake Ace Hardware will provide bottled water and portable fans at cooling centers to combat high-heat exposure.
The charitable organization says, “Service locations across our five-county region will also be open to provide heat relief to the public. Some locations will have indoor cooling stations, while others are distributing supplies as part of the drive-thru food pantry service.”
Salvation Army cooling stations can be found across all of North Texas, including the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth.
