JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s going to be scorching hot this weekend, which means the City of Jacksonville will be opening cooling centers throughout the city.
It’s expected to be the hottest weekend of the summer with ‘feels like’ temperatures up to 110 degrees.
“It is definitely warm,” said Darren Ronan, a local music teacher.
Ronan was feeling the heat and then some when we caught up with him Friday afternoon, just after he’d wrapped up a gig playing drums in James Weldon Johnson Park.
“The fan is the most important piece of equipment for a musician,” said Ronan.
This weekend will be first time this summer that the City of Jacksonville opens up its cooling centers.
All 21 libraries, 20 community centers, 29 public pools and 16 splash pads will be open and available to people looking for a break from the heat Friday, Saturday, and next Monday.
On Sunday, people will still be able to cool off at the Main Library, Legends Center and the public pools and splash pads.
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“Get some water, read a book, do other things to kind of relax during the hottest parts of the day,” said Jacksonville’s Chief Health Officer Dr. Sunil Joshi.
Dr. Joshi noted this is the third year the city has offered the cooling centers.
He said they’re not only a great option for those out and about, but also for anyone who may be stuck at home without AC.
JTA offers free rides to the centers during periods of extreme heat.
“The bus itself is cooled. So, you get on a bus that’s air-conditioned and then you get to an air-conditioned facility as well,” said Joshi.
And if for whatever reason you can’t get to a cooling center, Dr. Joshi advises to avoid heat exhaustion, people should do their best to stay hydrated, take breaks in shade, and wear cool, comfortable clothing.
“These are all commonsense things. However, we forget about that when we go outside in the heat sometimes. And so these are ways that you can protect yourself and stay cool even at the hottest times of the day,” said Joshi.
You can find a full list of all the cooling center locations throughout the city here.
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