Ideas for staying cool and safe as temperatures rise

With the high temperatures here to stay during the upcoming summer months, it's important to know how you can keep yourself healthy and safe.

There are cooling centers across the desert open to anyone who is in need of somewhere to hang out and stay cool.

Some of these cooling centers have different recreational activities, cots, and a variety of amenities for those who don't have access to A/C or are experiencing an outage.

It's important to drink water to help avoid heat-related illnesses. It's recommended to continuously drink water throughout the day, rather than only when you are thirsty.

To save energy, it's recommended you set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher. This will save you between 3-5% on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat.

Also, be sure you're alert and not leaving any children or pets in the car under any circumstance. If you do see it happening you're urged to immediately call 9-1-1.

During the hot months, it's important to check on your elderly loved ones or anyone with medical conditions.

The County of Riverside has more tips on how you can keep yourself safe in the heat.