With triple-digit temperatures expected this weekend and next week, the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH), 665 W. Lancaster Blvd., will operate a cooling center through Sunday.
City officials urge residents, especially the elderly and those with young children, to take proper precautions during the heat wave. The cooling center will be on the first floor of the museum and will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today though Sunday. These and other cooling centers around town can assist citizens who don’t have air conditioning, or are looking for a place to cool off while reducing their summer utility bills. Theaters, shopping malls, supermarkets and large stores, bowling centers, churches and restaurants can be optimal places to cool off while doing a little shopping or engaging in leisure activities.
The Lancaster Public Library will also serve as a cooling center—and as an opportunity to catch up on a little reading.
Officials suggest residents avoid the sun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., stay in an air-conditioned setting during peak heat hours, and drink plenty of fluids while avoiding alcohol, and sweetened drinks. Take the following tips to make sure you, your family and neighbors stay cool:
—If you don’t have air conditioning, take a cool shower twice a day or visit one of the cooling centers;
—Check on elderly neighbors, as well as family and friends who may not have air conditioning;
—Never leave an infant or child in an unattended vehicle. Not only is it dangerous, it is illegal;
—Provide infants and children with plenty to drink, because they can become dehydrated quickly;
—Provide plenty of water for pets, keep them in the shade, and do not leave them in an unattended vehicle;
—If you must work outdoors, wear loose-fitting clothes, a sun hat, and stay hydrated; use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15.
For more details about keeping cool in the heat, visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.
