SAINT LOUIS COUNTY, MO - (July 15, 2009) Five Saint Louis County cooling centers open during the hot weather forecast this week. Three centers are opened by the Saint Louis County Parks Department and the Department of Health's two community health centers are available during regular business hours.
The three cooling centers in county parks open beginning last Saturday and will remain open through Thursday, and the two health centers are available beginning Monday.
The three cooling centers open by the Saint Louis County Parks Department are located as follows:
Affton Community Center9801 Mackenzie Road, 63123 Noon - 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday
North County Recreation Complex (Veteran's Memorial Park)
2577 Redman Road, 63136
8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday
Noon - 6 p.m. Sunday
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
St. Vincent's Community Center
7335 St. Charles Rock Road, 63133
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday
Noon - 6 p.m. Sunday
9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
The locations and addresses for the two county health centers are:
North County Community Health Center
4000 Jennings Station Road, 63121
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
South County Health Center
4580 South Lindbergh Blvd., 63127
8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
For a complete list of area cooling centers, visit:www.stlouisco.com/HealthandWellness/HeatSafetyTips
Whenever temperatures rise above 95 degrees, the Health Department recommends the following:* Turn on the air conditioning to cool the air.* Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.* Spend as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum.* Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine.* Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room.* Eat light, easily-digested foods, avoiding hot, heavy, or greasy meals.* Be sure not to leave food unrefrigerated for long - food spoils rapidly in the heat.* Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly - especially young children and the elderly. Check on your neighbors and relatives if they may be vulnerable or do not have air conditioning.* Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.* Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening!
Operation Weather Survival, a public and private collaboration, manages a network of cooling centers around the region. People needing a cool place to go are urged to visit a one. To find a cooling center, call the United Way from a residential home at 211, or from any phone at 1-800-427-4626.
Residents are also urged to consider pets whenever temperatures rise. Here are some tips for protecting pets during hot weather:* Regularly check a pet's water to make sure it's clean and fresh. Ample drinking water is vital to animals during hot and humid conditions. Make sure to adjust the drinking quantity for the size and number of pets in the area. You can also spray your pet with water to cool them off.* Provide a shady spot for pets. A pen near trees will work or you can fasten a sunroom screen to the sides and top of the pen to provide shade too. |
