ORLANDO, Fla. – As temperatures have been soaring in Central Florida, Orange County officials are working to protect the most vulnerable from heat-related illness.
During a meeting Tuesday, Public Safety Director Danny Banks said dozens of cooling centers will open when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory for the area.
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“We are advertising this message, the identification of all of our cooling centers, as well as recommendations for how to save yourself from heat,” Banks said.
The cooling centers, at Orange County’s 16 library branches, 13 recreation centers and seven community centers, provide A/C relief.
“Our total capacity is about 1,600 residents, which is much larger than you hear that many other governments have for people to come into an air-conditioned space right now,” Banks said.
During an extreme heat advisory, county staff will also distribute water to homeless people and others in need.
Banks said in recent weeks Orange County Fire Rescue visited 225 assisted living and senior living facilities. During the visits, crew members provided a point of contact and checked on air conditioning, as well as backup generators.
“It’s important not only that I’m speaking this message, but that (the) message gets out to the community and to the community that needs it most,” Banks said.
For more details on Orange County’s excessive heat plan, visit the county’s website.