Will Cooling Centers Extend Their Hours?

With temperatures peaking above the 100 degree mark here in the desert, health risks are also on the rise. Sometimes there is not much of a cool down even after dark.

Jerry Allen visits one of the cooling centers in the region frequently, and he says he considers them great help to those residents who may not have access to air conditioning or whose income may not allow them to turn it on very often.

“I live in Ivy Ranch, and there are some older folks in there that are just barely making it, so I think they would use a facility like this if it was a place to come when it’s really hot,” said Allen.

But because these facilities are only open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., it could make it hard for some people to take advantage of the services and stay safe. We at KESQ asked Kathleen DeRosa, from Southern California Edison about the issue, and she says that she encourages people to visit the centers, but extending the hours is not up to them.

DeRosa said, “The hours of operation by contract are usually 8 to 5 but it would be up to each individual cooling center to determine if they want to extend their hours.”

The Joslyn Senior Center has a cooling center, and Daniel Coover says they see anywhere from 300 to 500 people between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. He said they will extend their hours of operation if the county or state issues a severe heat warning.

As temperatures continue to rise, it’s recommended that if a cooling center near you closes for the day, you consider the options of visiting a local library, mall or a place to stay out of the sun.