Cooling centers available over the weekend at certain libraries, community centers, multi-service center
HOUSTON – The City of Houston is activating its Public Health Heat Emergency Plan, providing resources for people to take refuge from extreme heat over the weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat advisory for the Houston region for the duration of the weekend through Monday evening.
The city activates the plan when the heat index, a computation of air temperature and humidity, reaches 108 on two consecutive days.
Anyone without air-conditioning can seek shelter at any of the following city buildings designated as cooling centers:
Friday, July 8, 2022, and Monday, July 11, 2022:
All City of Houston community centers, multi-service centers, and libraries will serve as cooling centers and will be open during normal business hours.
Saturday, July 9, 2022
All city gyms will open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The following libraries and city parks buildings will open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.:
Bracewell Library
9002 Kingspoint Road
Houston, TX 77075
Carnegie Library
1050 Quitman Street
Houston, TX 77009
Collier Library
6200 Pinemont Drive
Houston, TX 77092
Dixon Library/ TECHLink
8002 Hirsch Road
Houston, TX 77016
Flores Library
110 N. Milby Street
Houston, TX 77003
Frank Library
10103 Fondren (inside Brays Oaks Towers)
Houston, TX 77035
Heights Library
1302 Heights Blvd
Houston, TX 77008
Henington-Alief Library
7979 S. Kirkwood
Houston, TX 77072
Hillendahl Library
2436 Gessner
Houston, TX 77080
Jesse Jones Central Library
500 McKinney
Houston, TX 77002
Johnson Library
3517 Reed Road
Houston, TX 77051
Jungman Library
5830 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77057
Looscan Library
2510 Willowick Road
Houston, TX 77027
McCrane-Kashmere Gardens Library
5411 Pardee Street
Houston, TX 77026
McGovern-Stella Link Library
7405 Stella Link Rd
Houston, TX 77025
Oak Forest Library
1349 W. 43rd Street
Houston, TX 77018
Park Place Library
8145 Park Place Blvd
Houston, TX 77017
Robinson-Westchase Library
3223 Wilcrest Drive
Houston, TX 77042
Scenic Woods Library
10677 Homestead Road
Houston, TX 77016
Shepard-Acres Homes Library
8501 W. Montgomery Road
Houston, TX 77088
Smith Library
3624 Scott Street
Houston, TX 77004
Stanaker Library
611 Macario Garcia Drive
Houston, TX 77011
Stimley-Blue Ridge Library
7200 W. Fuqua Street
Missouri City, TX 77489
Tuttle Library
702 Kress Street
Houston, TX 77020
Walter Library
7660 Clarewood Drive
Houston, TX 77036
Young Library
5107 Griggs Road
Houston, TX 77021
The following multi-service centers will extend hours till 6 p.m.:
Acres Home Multi-Service Center
6719 W Montgomery Rd
Houston, TX 77091
Southwest Multi-Service Center
6400 High Star Dr
Houston, TX 77074
The following community centers will extend hours till 6 p.m.:
Tidwell Community Center
9720 Spaulding St
Houston, TX 77016
Hartman Community Center
9311 E Avenue P
Houston, TX 77012
Sunday, July 10, 2022:
The following facilities will open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Community Centers
Tidwell Community Center
9720 Spaulding St
Houston, TX 77016
Hartman Community Center
9311 E Avenue P
Houston, TX 77012
Multi-Service Centers
Acres Home Multi-Service Center
6719 W Montgomery Rd
Houston, TX 77091
Southwest Multi-Service Center
6400 High Star Dr
Houston, TX 77074
Public Library
Downtown Library
500 McKinney St
Houston, TX 77002
People without adequate transportation to a designated cooling center can call 3-1-1 to request a free ride from METRO. Transportation is only to and from the cooling centers; transportation to other locations is unavailable.
The Houston Health Department encourages people to take extra precautions to protect themselves from heat-related illness and death. High-risk groups such as adults ages 55 and older, children under the age of 4, and people with chronic illness or who are either overweight or on certain medications should stay inside air-conditioned buildings between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., the hottest part of the day.
The department recommends people protect themselves and their families from potentially deadly heat-related illness. It recommends people:
- Increase water consumption. Drink lots of liquids even before getting thirsty, but avoid beverages with caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar because these can result in the loss of body fluid.
- Conduct outdoor work or exercise in the early morning or evening when temperatures are not as high. Outdoor workers should drink plenty of water or electrolyte replacement beverages and take frequent breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned facility. People unaccustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment need to start slowly and gradually increase heat exposure over several weeks.
- Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that permits the evaporation of perspiration.
- Do not leave infants, children, senior citizens, or pets unattended in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are cracked open. Check to make sure everyone is out of the car and don’t overlook children who may have fallen asleep.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat to help prevent sunburn as well as heat-related illness. Apply sunscreen, which protects from the sun’s harmful rays and reduces the risk of sunburn.
- Seek accommodations in air-conditioned facilities during the heat of the day if the house is not air-conditioned: a relative’s home, multi-service centers, malls, movie theaters, libraries, etc.
- Take frequent cool baths or showers if your home is not air-conditioned.
- Symptoms of heat exhaustion include weakness, dizziness, excessive sweating, cool or moist skin, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, and a fast and weak pulse. People experiencing these symptoms should lower their body temperature by getting to a cooler place, drinking water, taking a cool shower or bath, and resting.
A throbbing headache, red, hot, and dry skin (no longer sweating), extremely high body temperature (above 103°), nausea or vomiting, confusion, loss of consciousness, and a rapid, strong pulse are signs of heat stroke. If these symptoms occur, call 9-1-1 immediately and try to lower the person’s body temperature until help arrives.
People may seek air-conditioning in city multi-service centers, libraries, and recreation centers during normal business hours, even when the Public Health Heat Emergency Plan is not activated.
To find the nearest cooling center location or an air-conditioned city facility, people can call 3-1-1 for more information.