Starting today, Multnomah County will open two daytime cooling centers at noon, and will extend hours into the evening at two large libraries — providing respite for community members as temperatures possibly reach 100 degrees or more.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson is declaring a state of emergency effective at 10 a.m. Sept. 5. A decision on whether conditions will require cooling centers to reopen Friday, Sept. 6, will be announced later today.

These two cooling centers will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept 5:

Cook Plaza, 19421 S.E. Stark St., Gresham — staffed by Cultivate Initiatives
Portland Covenant Church, 4046 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland — staffed by Do Good Multnomah

TriMet won't turn away anyone riding to or from a cooling center who cannot pay fare between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5. Please tell your bus operator that you're heading to or from a cooling center. Prepare for riding during extreme heat at trimet.org/heat. Be prepared for the heat, stay well-hydrated and be sure to check trimet.org/alerts before you travel for the latest on delays.

Anyone needing additional transportation help should call 211.

On Thursday, Sept. 5, and Friday, Sept. 6, Multnomah County Library will extend hours at the Central (801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland) and Gresham (385 N.W. Miller Ave., Gresham) libraries until 8 p.m., with bottled water on hand, to provide additional places where people can go during the hottest parts of the day and evening.

Hours will also be extended Thursday at Transition Projects’ Bud Clark Commons Resource Center (650 N.W. Irving St., Portland) until 6:30 p.m.

Other cool spaces are listed on this interactive map of splash pads and other sites. Portland Parks & Recreation splash pad and interactive fountain locations and up-to-date hours can be found here.

Multnomah County’s Department of County Human Services this week will continue to contact providers, as well as vulnerable people living in older buildings without air conditioning, with information on heat safety and resources that will be available during the heatwave — with a concerted effort to reach residents in Gresham, Rockwood and downtown Portland. The department also distributes cooling kits to community-based organizations.

The Joint Office of Homeless Services is beginning expanded street outreach starting today, working with outreach teams, mutual aid groups and community volunteers to coordinate outreach efforts and bring hot weather gear to people living without shelter across Multnomah County. That coordinated outreach will continue through at least Friday, Sept. 6.

Stay informed and check on your community

While the heat risk to people living outside is well understood, many people don’t realize how dangerous heat is to older adults, young children and people with health conditions such as heart disease. The majority of those who died in Multnomah County of extreme heat during the June 2021 heat dome and heat waves since then were men over the age of 50 who were living alone in their own homes and either didn’t have air conditioning or had not turned it on.

People are urged to take steps to protect themselves, including cooling their home, staying hydrated and watching for signs of heat illness. Residents should check on their loved ones and community, especially people living alone and who don’t have access to good cooling. People planning to work or play outdoors should avoid the hottest part of the day, take frequent water breaks and consider rescheduling activities until after the heat wave ends.

If you are concerned that someone may be in distress because of the heat, you can ask how they're doing and if they need help finding a cool space.

Heat illness requires action and possibly medical attention. If someone is confused, loses consciousness, or has red, hot skin — this could be heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. If you're not comfortable approaching them, you can call the City of Portland non-emergency line at 503-823-3333 and say “welfare check.” If you see someone having a medical emergency, call 911.

Help for When it's Hot: Latest information from the County on cooling centers, health and safety.
211 Info: Call to find the cooling center nearest you and for transportation support.
Public Alerts: Sign up to receive safety alerts in your area.
National Weather Service: Check the forecast and plan outdoor activities for coolest times of day.
Aging and Disability Resource Connection: 24-hour information and assistance to older people, people with disabilities and caregivers. Connect with them at 503-988-3646 or adrc@multco.us.

Source: Multnomah County

Scott Tom