Shasta County health officials don't always open emergency cooling centers when summer temperatures skyrocket.
Why not?
The heatwave that hit Redding and most of Northern California in late June and early July is just the start of what climatologists predict will be a hotter-than-average summer.
Shasta County closed several emergency cooling centers last week, even though temperatures of at least 110 degrees were in the forecast.
That prompted some North State residents ask on social media: Why doesn't the county keep emergency cooling centers open whenever the mercury soars, or keep permanent cooling centers open later in the day?
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Here are some answers from Shasta County health services and cooling center staff.
Why does the county close cooling centers when temperatures drop at night, but daytime temperatures remain high?
The county’s policy is to consider opening temporary emergency cooling centers if there's a daytime heat index — a combination of air temperature and humidity — hotter than 110 degrees; and a nighttime heat index higher than 80 degrees, both for two consecutive days, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.
Health officials also consider opening centers if there’s a power outage when the weather’s heat index is above 105 degrees, according to the county; or if there's an uptick in the number of “heat-related illnesses, medical emergencies” or deaths due the heat, or another situation in which public health officials determine heat could put people’s “lives in imminent danger,” according to the HHSA.
HHSA: "When nighttime temperatures drop below 80°F heat index, it offers an extended respite from extreme temperatures." That's why temporary cooling centers don't open just because daytime temperatures go way up.
Have hospitals treated more heat-related health problems since the heat wave?
One criteria for opening temporary cooling centers is an uptick in health problems caused or exacerbated by extremely hot weather. Is that happening in the Redding area?
HHSA: "Local hospitals and clinics are asked to report (emergency) or urgent care visits to public health. It is a bit too early to determine if there was an uptick during this heat wave, as medical facilities haven’t shared all their data yet.
How busy did cooling centers get during the heat wave?
Reasons people said they visited cooling centers in July included Pacific Gas and Electric utility's planned power outages, broken air conditioners, the inability to afford expensive power bills and being homeless, staff at centers said.
Good News Rescue Mission: Mission staff said the number of people spending the day at their chapel ― the cooling center spot at the mission — increased about 30% since the heat wave started.
Frontier Senior Center: According to center staff, only one person showed up at the Frontier Senior Center to use its cooling center during the week of July 8. However, the center closes at 4 p.m., the hottest time of day and that might account for no one else showing up, according to the center.
Redding Library: The number of visits to the Redding branch of the Shasta County Library almost doubled to 60,000 in June, up from 30,000-40,000 per month in spring. However, staff aren't sure how many people are coming into the library to cool off versus those who are there for the library's summer reading programs, games and other activities, according to library spokesman Tyler Spencer.
Why doesn’t the county keep its 'temporary' cooling centers open all summer?
Temporary cooling centers that opened during the PG&E planned power outages in July include the Shasta Lake Community Center. Since the National Weather Service reported Redding's average daily July temperature was around 101 degrees, why not keep this and other cooling places open all summer?
HHSA: "Cooling centers provide respite and safety during extreme heat. Redding doesn’t meet the temperature thresholds all summer. Also, cooling centers are sometimes open due to regional power shut-off events. It those cases, the location of the cooling center(s) may change based on community needs."
Is the county revisiting summer hours for permanent cooling centers such as libraries?
Shasta County libraries, the Frontier Senior Center for seniors and the Good News Rescue Mission serve as permanent cooling centers, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services agency.
However, some of those facilities aren't open on the weekend, or they close at or before 5 p.m. — when Redding-area heat levels typically are at their peak, according to hours posted by library branches and the senior center.
HHSA: "HHSA doesn’t control or manage the hours of operation for entities such as libraries and senior centers. However, there have been cases where public libraries have graciously extended their hours during heat events."
What's the cost to keep an emergency cooling center open for one day?
HHSA staff didn't provide a dollar amount dedicated to cooling center costs, citing it's difficult to impossible to calculate with so many other agencies and non-profit organizations helping.
HHSA: "During extreme heat conditions, HHSA works with allied agencies and community partners to open temporary cooling centers. Centers are staffed by HHSA employees. The cost mostly depends upon the number of hours the cooling center is open and the pay rate of the people staffing the location. For security reasons, we normally staff a minimum of two staff members. We also supply water bottles, the cost being dependent upon usage."
Where should people go if they don’t have air conditioning and emergency cooling centers are closed?
The following are public spaces people can visit to cool off, according to HHSA's website.
Anderson
Anderson Library (3200 West Center St.) is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-365-7685.
Frontier Senior Center's (2081 Frontier Trail) cooling center is open to people ages 50 and over from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The facility closes at 4 p.m. Closed Thursday and Friday, July 4 and 5. For updates call 530-365-3254.
Burney
The Burney Library (37116 Main St.) is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-335-4317.
Cottonwood
The Cottonwood Library (3427 Main St.) is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-347-4818.
Redding
The Redding Library (1100 Parkview Ave.) is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-245-7250.
The Good News Rescue Mission's dining hall (3075 Veda St.) or other parts of the facility (3100 S. Market St.) are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For updates call 530-241-5754.
Shasta Lake
Hours at the Shasta Lake Library (1525 Median Ave.) vary. Library staff didn't return phone calls seeking details. But a recording listed hours for the week of June 24 as 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, with at least one hour Saturday morning. The library is closed on July 4, according to the county. For updates call 530-275-7490.
For updates on county's cooling centers call 530-229-8882 or go to ShastaHeatSafety.org.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter@RS_JSkropanic and onFacebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work,please subscribe today. Thank you.
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