Here’s everything D.C. residents need to know about the Heat Emergency Plan and what they should do for Tuesday, July 6, and Wednesday, July 7.
Today District of Columbia Mayor Bowser activated a heat emergency plan for Tuesday, July 6, and Wednesday, July 7 due to the current temperatures and forecast of extreme heat for the area. The heat index for Tuesday and Wednesday is expected to reach 100 degrees.
“When the forecast of the temperature or heat index in the District is 95 degrees or higher, District Government, through the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), implements the Heat Emergency Plan and activates cooling centers for residents to seek relief from the heat,” said the Office of the Mayor in a statement released today.
The Cooling Center at the Downtown Day Services Center is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the District’s Heat Emergency Plan is activated. The center operates with limited capacity and services offered include restrooms, snacks, and bottled water.
The Downtown Day Services Center at 1313 New York Avenue NW is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with limited capacity for walk-in services for those experiencing homelessness.
Appointments are not required to visit the cooling centers.
For anyone looking for transportation to a cooling center, people are encouraged to call the shelter’s hotline at (202) 399-7093. Residents may find their closest cooling center using the District’s interactive map.
To find more information about services provided during a heat emergency, please visit heat.dc.gov or call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center by dialing 311.
Here are some tips from the Mayor’s Office to help protect yourself and others from the extreme heat:
- Stay indoors when possible: find places in the shade or with air conditioning to seek relief from the heat. Residents may find their closest cooling center using the District’s interactive map.
- Check on your neighbors: young children, the elderly, and those with access and functional needs are the most vulnerable in our community.
- Drink plenty of fluids: increase your fluid intake but don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol, caffeine, or large amounts of sugar.
- Keep pets indoors: walk pets early in the morning, give pets plenty of water, and do not leave pets in vehicles, which can reach dangerous temperatures within 10 minutes. For all animal emergencies, including animals left outside in extreme temperatures or in vehicles, please call the Humane Rescue Alliance at (202) 723-5730.
- Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen: pick lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, and wide-brimmed hats. Using a SPF 15 or higher sunscreen is best.
Low-Barrier shelters operate year-round and due to the Covid-19 public health emergency, all low-barrier shelters remain open 24 hours. These shelters will remain open all day on July 6th and 7th.
Men can find shelters at the following locations:
- 801 East Shelter at Making Life Better Lane, SE
- Adams Place Shelter at 2210 Adams Place, NE
- A community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW
- New York Avenue Shelter at 1355-57 New York Avenue, NE
- Pat Handy Legacy Shelter at 810 Fifth Street, NW
- Salvation Army at 3335 Sherman Avenue, NW
Women can find shelters at the following locations:
- Adams Place Day Center at 2210 Adams Place, NE
- A community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW
- Harriet Tubman Shelter for Women – DC General Building 9 at 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE
- Patricia Handy Place for Women Extension at 1009 11th Street, NW
Families seeking emergency shelter may call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center at 311 at any time.
For other ways to cool off, individuals can go to the D.C. spray parks that are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., every day through Labor Day, Monday, September 6, 2021.
Individuals can also visit D.C.’s outdoor pools that are operating during weekday hours, opening at 10:00 a.m. For the operating hours of each pool, you are encouraged to visit dpr.dc.gov/page/outdoor-pools.
Residents are reminded that using fire hydrants is “unlawful, dangerous, and damaging.” If you see a fire hydrant tampered with, you are encouraged to dial 311.