City considers expanding cooling centers in Fresno amid record-breaking heat wave
In the midst of a brutal heat wave that’s broken records, Fresno city leaders announced on Thursday a deal to expand city cooling and warming centers.
Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias said in a news release that unhoused and low-income residents frequently raised concerns about cooling and warming centers, including inadequate hours, lack of public notification and limited access to public transit for the emergency relief centers.
Arias and Councilmembers Luis Chavez and Esmeralda Soria are proposing a resolution at the end of the month to set new operational and communication protocols for cooling and warming centers.
“Climate change is real and is leading to more extreme temperatures in our city. These efforts allow us to ensure our vulnerable residents are protected during extreme temperatures,” Arias said in a news release. “It is clear that a changing climate is a major risk to the health of our residents. As city leaders, we have the responsibility to take action, and this is a significant step toward protecting our elderly, vulnerable, and homeless residents.”
Under the proposal, cooling centers would open when temperatures are forecast at 100 degrees or hotter, and they would stay open from noon until 8 p.m. They currently close at 7 p.m. and only open when temperatures reach 105 degrees or hotter. The public will be notified 72 hours in advance, if the proposal passes.
For warming centers, the proposal calls for them to open when temperatures are forecast at 35 degrees or lower from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The new proposal requires city officials to notify the public within 24 hours.
The proposal also will add cooling and warming centers to include Pinedale Community Center, Ted C. Wills Community Center, Maxie L. Parks Community Center and Mosqueda Community Center. The resolution also extends cooling centers from about 10 days to two months a year. Cooling center attendees will receive drinking water, and warming center attendees would receive drinking water, a cot bed and a blanket.
City leaders have yet to determine how to deal with pets. Arias’ office said leaders are evaluating allowing pets on leashes to accompany people on their free FAX bus transit to cooling and warming centers. Currently, only service animals are allowed on city FAX buses.
The proposal will go to a vote during the Fresno City Council’s Sept. 29 meeting. A previous proposal first appeared on the Sept. 1 agenda, and most councilmembers indicated support. Arias worked with Mayor Jerry Dyer’s administration on a few adjustments and expects the item to pass at the end of the month.
The city must adapt and update its policies as extreme weather events become more common, Soria said.
“Fresnans deserve to have accessible places for relief, especially those who are most vulnerable,” Soria said. “I am confident that our city will be able to successfully implement these policy changes.”
Chavez said fighting the effects of climate change will be a priority for the city.
“This rarely-seen heatwave is particularly brutal on vulnerable population — seniors and homeless folks exposed to the elements,” Chavez said. “This policy will help clarify and communicate effectively to the public when centers will be open now and in the future. As the city works to mitigate the effects of climate change, this will be a priority for the city.”
More hot summer days for Fresno
Fresno’s summers are getting increasingly hotter for longer periods of time.
According to the National Weather Service, Fresno on Wednesday hit 111 degrees — going down as the hottest Sept. 7 in the city’s history since temperatures were recorded. For the year, the city of Fresno has experienced 63 days of triple-digit heat. In fact, 26 of the past 27 days in Fresno have reached at least 100 degrees based on data from the National Weather Service.
In 2021, Fresno’s temperature surpassed 100 degrees 69 times, a record-breaking number of days for the city. These extreme temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, could lead to heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke and exhaustion.
There were six heat-related deaths in Fresno County in 2021, according to the California Department of Public Health. Fresno County Emergency Medical Services responded to nearly 350 calls for heat-related emergencies last year, and more than 200 this year as of mid-August.
This story was originally published September 9, 2022 at 5:00 AM.