Going to be a scorcher the next few days. Here are some places to cool down, find water
A heat wave has hit Pierce County and Western Washington, and the National Weather Service cautioned people to stay in cool areas and drink lots of fluids.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning through Tuesday night. Temperatures in and around Pierce County are expected to reach 90 degrees.
The NWS said Friday this level of heat poses a threat to people without effective cooling or hydration.
Pierce County has a list of places where people can cool down, as well as locations with access to water.
Cooling centers
Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church
▪ Where: 7700 Skansie Ave., Gig Harbor
▪ When: Aug. 14-16, noon to 8:30 p.m.
Chapel Hill Church is hosting a cooling center with air conditioning and water. Pets are welcome on a case-by-case basis, and owners will need to check in with workers on site to ensure their pet can stay.
St. Vincent de Paul
▪ Where: 4009 S. 56th St., Tacoma
▪ When: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The St. Vincent de Paul resource center is available as a cooling center. People can receive water bottles and a hygiene kit that includes a toothbrush, lip balm, deodorant, sunscreen and more.
Fife Community Center
▪ Where: 2111 54th Ave. E
▪ When: Aug. 14-16, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The City of Fife is hosting a cooling center at the Fife Community Center that will provide people with air conditioning, water, cooling kits, crafts and games. The cooling center is open to everyone, including dogs and cats that are in crates.
Libraries:
Tacoma Public Libraries
▪ When: Tuesdays-Saturdays
Tacoma Public Libraries can be accessed to cool down during the heatwave during their hours of operation.
Pierce County Libraries
▪ When: Monday- Friday
Pierce County Public Libraries are also available as cooling centers during their hours of operations, with bigger branches of the library being open on Saturdays.
People can use day centers and public malls during operating hours as cooling sites during hot weather, according to the Pierce County website.
A full list of cooling centers is available on the Pierce County website.
Free transportation to cooling centers
Pierce Transit is partnering with the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management to provide people with free bus or shuttle rides to and from cooling centers and shelters Aug. 14-16.
Passengers have to tell the driver they are traveling to or from a cooling center or shelter to ride for free, according to a Pierce Transit press release.
The round-trip rides are available throughout the day and evening.
