Where To Find Long Valley’s Cooling Centers

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Temperatures are soaring throughout all of New Jersey, with Long Valley having established official locations where residents can go if they need a place to cool down. Some are open for part of the day and others around the clock. For an updated list, visit New Jersey 2-1-1’s cooling centers page, then choose “Morris County.”

Locations currently in Long Valley include (as of 1:40 p.m. June 30, 2021):

Rock Spring Park Senior Center at 34 East Springtown Road (Hours as needed)
Washington Township Library at 37 East Springtown Road (Hours Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.)

For Washington Township residents still without power or who may lose power because of the weather, the Washington Township Police Department on behalf of the Office Of Emergency Management, posted the following information below about outage reporting:

New Jersey’s Office Of Emergency Management cautions everyone in the Garden State that heat indices can reach more that 100 to 105 and with excessive heat advisories through Wednesday possible.

Cooling center information is available statewide at www.nj211.org, by dialing 2-1-1 or texting 898211 with your zip code to find a cooling center. Cooling centers may include shopping centers, libraries, community centers and other locations.

New Jersey’s OEM gives the following tips for people who must go outside, how to stay cool indoors and other tips:

1. Wear lightweight, loose, light-colored clothes.
2. Stay in the shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat to cover your face.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Steer clear of “high-energy activities.”
5. Try not to use electric fans when it’s more than 95, which “create a false sense of comfort” and don’t reduce body temperatures.
6. High heat can cause power outages. See more information here about what to do before, during and after outages.
7. Check on family members, neighbors and friends, especially those who may be seniors, for heat-related illnesses.
8. Never leave children, pets or anyone alone in a hot parked car, even for a minute (find more heat-related pet care tips here) or it can turn deadly, New Jersey OEM said.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at jennifer.miller@patch.com.