Florence readies emergency cooling center for power outages

With Pinal County under an excessive heat warning into next week, the town of Florence has taken a step to provide help for residents caught in power outages.

“In the event of a prolonged power or utility outage, the town of Florence will utilize the Community Center at 778 N. Main St. as an emergency cooling center to help town residents stay safe and beat the heat,” a post on the town’s Facebook page stated.

The National Weather Service reports that it expects temperatures to approach 117 degrees over the next several days. State health officials have placed Maricopa and Pinal counties under an excessive heat warning.

If residents need assistance or transportation to the community center, they can call the police non-emergency line at 520-868-7681, option 2.

Pets can be taken to the emergency cooling center, but they must be kept in a crate or on a leash.

During emergency events, Florence will provide updates as they become available via the Pinal Emergency Notification System and the town’s Facebook page.

Residents can receive local emergency alerts by registering at https://townofflorence.genasys.com/portal/en .

During regular hours, if you’re out and about town and feeling overheated, need cool water or even just need a break from the summer sun, you can stop by the following facilities to get some relief:

• Town Hall, 775 N. Main St.
• Viney Jones Library & Community Center, 778 N. Main St.
• Police Department, 425 N. Pinal St
• Fire Station No. 1, 72 E. First St.
• Fire Station No. 2, 2035 N. Hunt Highway
• Dorothy Nolan Senior Center, 330 N. Pinal St.

The Arizona Department of Health Services advises residents to do outdoor activities in the early morning or evening hours and stay hydrated.