Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Local

San Diego County opens Cool Zones program for season

Fans from a county of San Diego cool zone in this undated photo.
County of San Diego
Fans from a county of San Diego cool zone in this undated photo.

Scroll to see Cool Zone locations.

With summer at hand, San Diego County today opened its annual Cool Zones program, giving people free, safe, air-conditioned sanctuaries to escape extreme heat.

The program will run through Oct. 31. Sites include the county's 33 library branches, community centers and other locations across the county. A complete list can be found online.

Advertisement

People can also call 211 to find a location, or, if they cannot get to a Cool Zone, ask for help with free transportation.

The county created the program two decades ago to give older adults, people with disabilities and those with health concerns that could be complicated by extreme heat a safe place during the hottest days of the year.

"Extreme heat can be especially dangerous for older adults and children, and everyone is recommended to shelter in cool locations when the temperatures get too hot," a county statement said. "Working or exercising outside on a hot day or staying in a hot space too long can cause heat-related illnesses, from cramps, to exhaustion and heatstroke — a condition when the body can no longer control its temperature."

Signs of heatstroke or exhaustion include having an extremely high body temperature — 103 degrees or higher — dizziness, nausea, confusion and headache. Anyone suffering these symptoms should call 911 and be cooled off immediately.

Additionally, the county, working with San Diego Gas & Electric, will provide free electric fans to older or disabled San Diegans living on limited incomes.

Advertisement

To be eligible for the fan program, county residents must be 60 years old or older, or disabled, living on limited income, must not have access to an air-conditioned space at their home or apartment building and unable to travel to a Cool Zone site.

To learn more about the fan program or to request a fan, call 211 or visit the county's website to complete a fan eligibility survey.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.