LITTLE ROCK – With temperatures climbing during an ongoing heat wave, the City of Little Rock is opening a cooling area in the East Little Rock Community Center to provide a place for residents needing to seek relief.

East Little Rock Community Center is located at 2500 East 6th Street, 501-374-2881.

The cooling center will open Wednesday, June 15, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a designated room available for residents to cool off.

The City will monitor the weather to determine whether the cooling center will need to remain open additional days during prolonged periods of extreme heat and humidity.

Residents are encouraged to check in on neighbors, especially those vulnerable populations at risk of complications from extreme heat. Those include adults over 65, children under 4, and those with disabilities or existing medical conditions. People who exercise outdoors should pace themselves and schedule workouts to avoid the mid-day heat. Pets should have an adequate water supply and be monitored for signs of heat exhaustion or sickness. No one should ever be left in a parked car.

Extreme heat events are a leading cause of extreme weather-related deaths in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed. That means limiting time spent outside, not relying on a fan as a primary cooling device, drinking more water than usual, avoiding liquids that contain high amounts of sugar, and checking the local news for heat alerts.

Heat illness can happen to anyone, but it is preventable. The City has precautions in place for employees who work outdoors, including summer hours for several departments and an alert system for Parks & Recreation staff.

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