Now that summer has officially arrived, hot temperatures have come with it.

Extreme heat, paired with high humidity, makes it difficult for the body to maintain its normal temperature.

Overexposure to extreme heat can cause several heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps.

The Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management helps residents identify the differences between heat-related illnesses, and tells you how you can prepare before extreme heat strikes, and how to handle it when it’s happening.

Prepare for extreme heat.

If you need a place to cool off and don’t have air conditioning in your home, your city may stand up a cooling center at your local rec or community center. The City of Cleveland is standing up multiple cooling centers today, June 22, 2022 from 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.:

• Zelma George Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 3155 Martin Luther King Blvd.
• Collinwood Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
• Halloran Skating Rink: 3550 W. 117th St.
• Kovacic Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 6250 St. Clair Ave.
• Michael Zone Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 6301 Lorain Ave.
• Sterling Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 1380 E. 32nd St.
• Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 15401 Miles Ave.
• Glenville Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 680 E. 113th St.

If you don’t have a cooling center location near you, consider a few other ways to stay cool:

• Spend time in your local library. The Cuyahoga County Public Library and Cleveland Public Library systems offer exhibits, story time for kids, and access to helpful resources. Or, just sit down with a good book! You can find a list of locations and hours for each library here:
  • Cuyahoga County Public Library
  • Cleveland Public Library
• Check out a summer blockbuster at the movies or window shop at the mall.
• Do your weekly grocery shopping at your local market.

As temperatures rise, the Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services remind older persons that they are at a higher risk of falling ill during the summer months.

There are several precautions older adults can take to be safe this summer. Check cooling systems to ensure they are working properly. If utilities are a concern, the County can connect residents with resources that can assist with summer energy bills, so no one is left to make the difficult decision whether to pay cooling bills or purchase food.

For information on how the County can help, call 216-420-6700.

Extreme heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. Stay cool and drink lots of water!