“We’ve noticed extremely hot temperatures a little bit earlier than usual,” Director of the Palm Springs Public Library, Jeannie Kays, explained. “Although every year we think it’s really hot but right now I think this weekend is supposed to be really hot.”
Summer-like heat is here.
Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-110s by the weekend and people are getting ready now to stay cool, or help others stay cool.
Starting in the west end of the valley, the Palm Springs Public Library is one of three cooling centers within the city.
Not only is it a place to stay cool, the library provides water, charging stations and of course, reading material.
“The library and other cooling centers all across the valley actually are available for you to come and cool off,” Kays continued. “If you have air conditioning, you can turn it up, and get out of the heat but come here.”
On the east side of the valley, organizations like the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission (CVRM) are finding ways to keep people cool.
“We all know how hot it is, especially if you’re a resident out here,” Program Coordinator for CVRM, Mark McGowan, said. “We are in triple digits so we all have concerns about the homeless and are they able to make it through and be okay. So, we have partnered with the county of Riverside to use our Annex Shelter as a cooling center so people in the heat that just want to get out and get a cold glass of water, sit down, eat some snacks, and watch some TV in the hottest part of the day, we are able to provide that.”
Not only are they aiming to help the homeless population, they want to help relieve high air conditioning costs, especially for the elderly.
“The county is also concerned about elderly people that it’s too hot to run their air conditioners and what about their bills and can they pay their bills? Well they can take a break on their A/C and use ours,” McGowan continued.
While some of the homeless population can’t make it to their facility, CVRM makes sure to come to them.
“We used to do the 90-day summer relief and we realized you know what, we can do more for the homeless,” McGowan said. “Let’s make it all year round. So, we have two full time outreach workers, two trucks, and we have a shower trailer that goes out and gives everybody a nice cold shower and some cold water.”
So regardless of where you live, there are resources to help you stay cool.
“We’re not worried about the heat. We’re not worried about a little hot weather and some sweat. We just want to help somebody,” McGowan said.
“We are very happy to do this. We think that it’s a very important thing to do during the summer because it is so hot here in the desert,” Kays shared.
Here are some tips to stay cool during the summer:
If you decide to go outside, plan your day to avoid peak heat, like in the mornings or evenings.
Use cold washcloths on your neck or wrists.
If you decide to take a summer hike, make sure you have enough water before heading out the door and make sure a friend knows you’re heading out beforehand.
The most important one is to stay hydrated.
Make sure you always have enough water nearby, regardless of what you’re doing or where you are.
