Gig Harbor cooling center to open over weekend for people escaping the heat
The City of Gig Harbor, in coordination with Chapel Hill Church, is going to open a cooling center to provide a safe location to get out of the heat.
The cooling center will be open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday through Monday at 7700 Skansie Avenue in Gig Harbor. Those seeking relief can go through Entrance Door “D” and will be provided ice water as well as light snacks.
According to predictions, temperatures in some parts of the state may reach up to 100 plus degrees this weekend. Other additional cooling locations are being opened throughout the county, including Parkland and Puyallup’s South Hill. People can get a ride to these locations within Pierce County for free during the heat wave.
Police Chief Kelly Busey said in an email to The Gateway that “Pierce Transit does not have a route that travels near Chapel Hill Church” though said that “if you live within the Gig Harbor city limits and have no way of getting to the cooling center, call non-emergency dispatch at (253) 798-4722 and a GHPD Officer will ensure that you can get there.”
Busey also said that capacity is limited at the cooling center.
“As of now, the capacity at Chapel Hill is only 31 people. COVID restrictions limit the capacity to 50%,” Busey said. “I have reached out to the Governor’s office to see if there is a mechanism to waive this stipulation, given the emergent nature of the heat event. This would raise the capacity to 62 people.”
On Friday, Inslee did just that and removed capacity restrictions on cooling centers.
The city also outlined additional precautions in the event that people are not able to make it to the cooling center.
- Drink plenty of water. Have a beverage with you at all times, and sip or drink frequently. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Reduce, eliminate, or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities without air conditioning if you can. If you normally exercise outdoors – as recommended – exercise either in the early morning or late evening hours.
- Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sugar, which can dehydrate your body.
Busey said that “Chapel Hill was quite gracious in accepting this idea and serving as the host location.”
“There are no other locations planned within the city to serve as cooling centers,” Busey said. “If citizens are in medical distress and require services, we would urge them to call 911. Our fire department and law enforcement agencies are always available to assist as we can.”
This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 11:19 AM.
