Palm Springs opens emergency overnight cooling center
The city of Palm Springs has opened a temporary overnight shelter Tuesday amid an excessive heat warning for the region.
City officials will partner with Riverside County to offer emergency shelter on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Demuth Community Center, 3601 E. Mesquite Ave.
The shelter will be open to “anyone who needs it” between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on those days.
“Being able to sleep here tonight is probably actually going to save my life,” said Cassiopia MothIversen, who’s been living out of her car with her partner, Mychelle Knaus. She says she’s relieved to have a roof over her head in a cool space.
Mayor Pro Tem Kors says the shelter was opened with help from Riverside County and says the need for overnight shelter during the summer is critical.
“We need a place where people can go. People can die in this weather so its critically important,” Kors said.
Tuesday afternoon items like baby wipes, snacks, toiletries and plenty of water were dropped off to help stalk the temporary shelter.
Originally from Los Angeles, Jasen Perez says this shelter is giving him an opportunity.
“it’s big deal for us to have cooling centers and to get out of the heat where we can rest our bodies and our minds to collect our thoughts in order to move forward,” Perez said.
Kors is hoping to announce a location for a 24 hour shelter to open for the next few months and says the county has the ultimate say in where that will be.
“if it’s a city owned property we told them [the county] we’d lease it to them for a dollar. We’ll provide it. We’re willing to step in and do our part, but they have to run it because they have the Social Service department,” said Kors.
An excessive heat warning is in effect through Wednesday, with temperatures expected to be above 110 degrees in Palm Springs and other parts of the Coachella Valley both days, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters predict temperatures will drop slightly into the low 100s later in the week.
