(WASHINGTON, DC) – According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the current temperature in Washington, DC is 91 degrees with a heat index of 96 degrees. Because of the heat, Mayor Bowser has activated the District’s Heat Emergency Plan. When the temperature or heat index in the District reaches 95 degrees, District Government, through the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), will implement the Heat Emergency Plan and activate cooling centers for residents to seek relief. Residents needing a cool place to be are encouraged to utilize any library or recreation center during their normal business hours, or the Adams Place Day Center. The Department of General Services (DGS) advises caution when using recreational services throughout the District during a heat emergency; learn more about safety guidelines at dgs.dc.gov.
For information about services provided during an Extreme Heat Warning, go to heat.dc.gov or call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center by dialing 311. Residents can register to receive Heat Emergency alerts on their devices at alertdc.dc.gov.
Cooling Centers:
Cooling Centers are activated in publicly accessible government facilities, homeless shelters, and senior citizen wellness centers, and remain open until 6:00 p.m. or until it has been deemed safe to be outdoors. To request transportation to a cooling center for a resident experiencing homelessness, call the hyperthermia hotline at (202) 399-7093. Residents can find their closest cooling center using the District’s interactive map.
Safety Precautions:
The public can limit heat exposure by:
- Staying indoors
- Drinking plenty of liquids and avoiding drinks with caffeine and alcohol
- Limiting sun exposure, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., when the sun is the strongest
- Applying sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outdoors
- Wearing light-colored, lightweight clothing
Low-Barrier Shelters:
Low-Barrier shelters for individuals operate year-round. Due to high temperatures, low-barrier shelters will be open all day on Sunday, July 14, with the exception of Nativity Shelter, which opens at 7:00 p.m.
Men
- 801 East Shelter at 801 Making Life Better Lane, SE
- New York Avenue Shelter at 1355-57 New York Avenue, NE
Women
- Nativity Shelter at 6010 Georgia Avenue, NW (Opens at 7:00 p.m.)
- Harriet Tubman, DC General Building at 27 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE
- Patricia Handy Place for Women at 810 5th Street, NW
- Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW
Families seeking emergency shelter can call 311 at any time day or night. When the DC Government is open, families may also visit the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center at 920 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, Monday - Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
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