DALLAS — Summer is just beginning in North Texas, and with it comes sizzling hot temps. Dallas and Fort Worth have opened up cooling centers to help those looking to escape the heat during these next few months.
Dallas cooling centers
The City of Dallas is welcoming the public to its community centers Monday through Friday. Below are the hours:
- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday - Thursday
- 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday
Additionally, Dallas Library branches are also open to the public during regular business hours. The hours vary for each location, click here to view a list.
Fort Worth cooling centers
Fort Worth residents who do not have appropriate cooling equipment could also use a library or community center to cool off.
All of the libraries in Fort Worth are open at least six days a week, a full list of locations and hours can be found here.
Most community centers in Fort Worth are open Monday - Friday, with some having public hours on Saturday. Click here to view the full list of hours and locations.
Avoid heat-related illness
The City of Dallas is also encouraging residents to follow these tips to stay safe:
- Find ways to stay in the shade and avoid direct sunlight.
Limit outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. which are the hottest hours of the day. - Get in gear by wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Drink lots of water.
- Apply high-SPF sunscreen frequently.
Prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion
MedStar in Fort Worth shared these precautions:
- Hydrate. Drink plenty of water during the day, especially if you are engaged in strenuous activity. Sports drinks are a good choice if you're exercising or working in hot conditions, but water is a good way to hydrate, as well.
- Ventilate. Stay in a place where there is plenty of air circulating to keep your body cool. If you are indoors and don't have access to air conditioning, open windows and use a fan.
- Cover up. Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing to avoid absorbing the sun's light and trapping heat. Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun, but once you feel yourself getting warm, remove any items covering your head that can trap heat close to your body.
- Limit activity. Heatstroke can occur in less than an hour when you are participating in strenuous activity on a hot day. If you feel yourself getting hot or light-headed, stop your activity and rest in a cool place out of the sun. Be sure to drink water or a sports drink before, during and after strenuous activity.
- Check on loved ones. The elderly are especially vulnerable to heat-related emergencies. Many elderly residents are not aware of how hot it may get in their residence. Call on older friends and family members regularly to assure they are doing OK.