Surviving Phoenix Heat: Cooling Centers and Hydration Tips

When it is 110 degrees outside, the heat is not an inconvenience. It is a danger. Every summer in Phoenix, people end up in the emergency room - or worse - because they did not have a cool place to go or enough water to drink. A lot of that is preventable.

We are writing this because knowing where to cool off can save a life, and a lot of people do not know what is available to them. Here is the plain version.

Where to cool off

A cooling center is simply a public place with air conditioning where you can sit, rest, and get out of the sun. In Phoenix, they are run by the city, by Maricopa County, and by community organizations. Most of them are free to walk into.

• Public libraries are the most reliable cooling centers. They are open regular hours, they have water fountains and restrooms, and nobody has to buy anything to sit there.
• City of Phoenix and Maricopa County open additional cooling centers during extreme heat events. Check the City of Phoenix website for current locations and hours - they change from year to year and week to week.
• Senior centers and community centers often stay open as cooling centers during heat waves. Call ahead to confirm hours.
• 2-1-1 Arizona can tell you the nearest open cooling center in your area. It is free and available in multiple languages.

Hydration: the basics

Thirst is a late signal. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already behind on fluids. That is true for everyone, and it is especially true for older adults.

• Drink water throughout the day, not just when you are out in the heat.
• Carry a bottle with you and refill it when you can. Most libraries and cooling centers have drinking fountains.
• If you are sweating a lot, drink something with electrolytes - a sports drink, or water with a little salt and sugar.
• Avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine in the heat. They pull water out of you.
• If you are taking medication, ask your doctor whether it affects how your body handles heat.

Heat safety, plain and simple

• Stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, roughly mid-morning to early evening.
• If you have to be outside, find shade, move slowly, and take breaks in the air conditioning.
• Wear loose, light-colored clothing and a hat.
• Never leave a child or a pet in a parked car, even for a few minutes. Even with the windows cracked, a car becomes an oven.
• Check on elderly neighbors, especially people who live alone. A quick knock and a cold bottle of water means more than you think.
• Know the warning signs: heavy sweating, muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness, confusion, fainting. Confusion is the serious one - if someone becomes confused or stops sweating in the heat, call 911.

Why it matters

Heat does not announce itself like a storm. It is quiet, and it kills slowly, one bad decision or one missed opportunity to cool off at a time. Cooling centers exist so that no one has to choose between the heat and their safety. If you need one, use it - that is what they are for. If you know someone who needs one, tell them where it is.

A cold drink and an air-conditioned room do not sound like much. In a Phoenix summer, they are the difference between a bad day and a much worse one.