MEDFORD, Ore. – With triple-digit heat in the forecast local cities are working to get people off the streets. The pacific northwest is seeing record heat that includes the Rogue Valley. Multiple cities are opening up cooling centers for people to beat the heat.
Temperatures are rising in the Rogue Valley and it’s important to know how to protect yourself in excessive heat.
“Plan your activities during the cool early part of the day or after the sun goes down,” said Brett Kell, CEO of Valley Immediate Care. He said the heat can really affect your health. A danger to the public is heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but the difference could be a life or death situation.
“When your skin starts to turn dry, when your body temperature gets up to be 104 range that’s heatstroke. That’s a medical emergency,” said Kell.
Some cities within the Rogue Valley are opening cooling centers, like the City of Talent.
“For folks who don’t have A/C and the temperature goes above a certain 105 or a certain amount it’s really dangerous for people. And it became really clear that we needed to figure out some way to help,” said Jamie McLoud Skinner.
Their cooling center is opening up at the Talent Community Center, starting at 12-6 p.m. June 26-June 28. But they aren’t the only ones. The City of Ashland just announced its cooling center at 48 5th Street from June 26-July 1 12-8 p.m. The City of Medford is also opening the Medford Senior Center to the public from 12-8 p.m. June 26-June 28.
“It’s just to have a safe place for people to be during the hottest time of the day, to make sure we’re keeping people safe,” said McLoud Skinner.
The cooling shelters are accepting volunteers to hand out water to people.
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