YAKIMA, Wash.- With summer temperatures rising in the area, many are looking for ways to beat the heat. For some, it may be kicking on the air conditioning to full blast at home or in the car. For others, public cooling centers are their only refuge from the weather.
In years past, the Yakima Health District has sponsored cooling centers for the community to escape the heat. This year, the Health District is promoting the use of other establishments to cool off.
“In Yakima County, we do encourage individuals go to those public areas, like the mall or public libraries which are throughout the Yakima County, to be able to be in those air-conditioned areas,” said Stephanie Ruiz from the Yakima Health Department.
Yakima Valley Libraries are prepared for anyone to come into the building to escape the heat, as libraries as cooling centers is not a new trend.
“We’ve been doing it for a while now,” said Candelaria Mendoza, Executive Director of Yakima Valley Libraries. “It’s kinda like a national trend. A lot of libraries are cooling centers across the country. We’re hoping that the message is out there already that they can come and use us and cool down.”
Mendoza says the summer remains as libraries busiest time of year, with students on summer break and others joining those just using the building to get out of the sun.
The Health District is working with partners to establish sites specifically to serve as cooling centers. Until then, it asks the public to stay hydrated and have a plan for you and your pets if you will be exposed to the sun for an extended period of time.
