Lakewood City Hall To Open Cooling Station For Weekend Heatwave

LAKEWOOD, WA — The City of Lakewood will be converting the City Hall Council Chambers into a cooling center this weekend to help residents ward off the incoming heat wave.

The city says the cooling station will be open Sunday and Monday from noon to 7 p.m. each day. City hall can be found at 6000 Main Street SW, Lakewood, WA.

If you cannot make it to City Hall but need a place to cool off, there are several other options in Puyallup, South Hill and Gig Harbor.

Anyone who needs a ride to a cooling center can get one for free from Pierce Transit. From Friday through Monday, Pierce Transit will be offering free trips to and from cooling centers. All passengers have to do, is tell the bus driver they're heading to a cooling center to cool off.

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service has Lakewood seeing a high of 105 Sunday, followed by an even higher high of 108 Monday. Those temperatures are hot enough to be hazardous to anyone, but will be especially dangerous for those who are heat sensitive, young children, older adults and people with mental illnesses or chronic diseases.

To stay safe, the weather service is offering a few heat-related safety tips, like:

• Drink extra water, even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothes.
• Never leave children or pets inside a car.
• Check on your family and neighbors, especially if they do not have AC.
• Avoid strenuous activity and limit your time outdoors.
  • In particular, the NWS advises staying out of the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. if possible.
• Cover windows with drapes or shades.
• Use fans or air condition to keep your home cool.

Speaking of AC— the City of Lakewood confirms that Puget Sound Energy and Lakeview Light & Power both believe their electric grids will be able to handle the extra demand, but they are recommending that users keep their thermostats at about 70 degrees and use appliances during off-peak hours.

As for pet safety, experts say to limit your pet's exercise, keep them indoors and provide ample water and shade. They also warn to watch out for hot pavement while out walking your pet, and stress to never leave a pet inside a hot car.

>> Read more heat safety tips from the Tacoma - Pierce County Health Department.