With the National Weather Service issuing an ‘Excessive Heat Warning’ and predicting record setting temperatures during the course of the next week, there will be a local ‘Cooling Center’ open for use by Escalon residents.
“I reserved the Escalon Library conference room to be used as a cooling center,” said Escalon Police Chief Anthony Hardgraves.
It will be the first time this season the step is being taken, and the forecast calls for several days of triple digit heat, ranging anywhere from 106 to 111 degrees possible during the period running through at least July 9.
Hardgraves said while there have already been some triple digit temperatures in the region this summer, they have been short term.
“The last few cooling centers we put on last year had no attendance, so I have not been setting them up this year, as they can be difficult to staff,” the chief added.
He also said there hadn’t been any requests from residents to bring back the cooling centers but he wants to have it in place because of the extended length of the predicted heat wave and the potential for major health risks.
“With this crazy temperature forecast, I decided to schedule one,” Hardgraves explained.
The official Cooling Center will be hosted at the library’s Ekholm Meeting Room, 1540 Second St., and will open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The library can also be accessed during regular hours and is a cool respite for the community.
“If we get people turning out on Saturday and they express a need for cooling centers on other days, I will start scheduling them more often,” Hardgraves said.
The dangerously hot conditions with temperatures of 105 to 115 during the day will also see only limited overnight relief with low temperatures expected to range in the upper 60s to mid-80s. Residents are advised to monitor forecasts for the latest updates and any additional warnings. Also, stay hydrated and, if possible, stay out of the sun and in an air-conditioned room.
The San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, on its SJReady.org website, also lists the City of Escalon as a designated cooling center. Residents can access the City Council chambers in the City Hall building, 2060 McHenry Avenue, during regular business hours if they are in need of a cool spot to stay.
A total of 16 libraries throughout San Joaquin County – including Escalon’s – serve as designated cooling centers through the Office of Emergency Services as well.
