Sweating the Heatwave, Johnston? Cooling Shelter Open Overnight

The Polk County Health Department will open an Overnight Cooling Shelter at 1548 Hull Avenue in Des Moines, tonight  at 8. No one will be admitted to the shelter after 11:30 p.m.  

The shelter will close at 8 a.m. on Thursday morning.

“Each of the last few nights has been warmer than the previous one,” said Scott Slater, interim director at Polk County Health Department.”People are getting less and less of a break between these very hot days. The cumulative impact of heat increases people’s risk for health problems.”

Health Department official remind people to stay out of the heat as much as possible, drink plenty of water (don’t wait until you are thirsty), and limit consumption of alcoholic beverages. Even though as little as two hours in air conditioning can greatly reduce your risk of heat related illness, some people are reluctant to leave their homes.

“This makes it extremely important to check on others, who do not have air conditioning, twice a day,” Slater said. “Also remember, never leave children or pets in a car and make sure pets have cool water and shade available at all times, if possible keep pets indoors.”

Many public places, like malls, libraries, senior centers, are air conditioned and are open to the public as daytime cooling centers. Two hours in air conditioning can significantly reduce the risk of health problems. Click here for a full list of daytime cooling centers in Polk County.  

The  No. 4 DART bus stops at the intersection of Hull Avenue and N.E. 14th Street. The shelter is located three blocks east of the intersection. Anyone who needs transportation to the shelter or assistance getting from the bus stop to the shelter should call “211”.

Showers are also available. Pets are not permitted in the overnight cooling shelter unless they are designated a service animal. But you can also call “211” for assistance in sheltering your animal. People staying in the shelter should bring any medications or medical devices they may be dependent on.

For more information, visit Polk County Health Department on the web and on Facebook and Twitter.

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