City of Portland Announces a Variety of Measures to Help Residents Stay Cool During This Week's Excessive Heat

There's no reason to swelter. Help is available.

Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay

As predicted, another round of severe heat is settling into the Portland area. As of Wednesday morning, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures in the 100s through Friday, cooling off to the mid-90s over the weekend.

Officials in Portland and Multnomah county have learned from the deadly heatwave that killed at least 96 people earlier this summer and implanted an enhanced heat response plan.

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler each declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of potentially life-threatening temperatures.

“This tool gives us the flexibility to respond to the heat wave and to alert everyone that heat is dangerous especially for isolated older adults, people who work outdoors, children and pets,’’ said Chair Deborah Kafoury. “There can be no doubt after June that extreme heat can kill and we are treating these events like the health hazard they are.’’

These emergency declarations allow city and county emergency managers to create a unified command structure to collaborate and coordinate on emergency response. It also waives certain purchasing, personnel, and administrative rules, and authorizes officials to use public buildings for cooling centers and other heat response activities.

Public alerts are also going out on cell phones and emails to get the word out about the heat emergency. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to sign up for public alerts.

Image courtesy of Multnomah County

Portland-area residents are encouraged to stay indoors in cool spaces and minimize activities to the extent possible. People are also encouraged to keep an eye on pets, neighbors, and anyone at higher risk of heat-related injuries.

Homeless outreach teams are fanning out to homeless camps to encourage the houseless community to use cooling centers. Outreach teams will also provide heat supplies like water, electrolytes, sunscreen, and tarps.

Many property managers are taking a more proactive approach to help residents living in buildings without air conditioning by offering their tenants circulating fans, opening up air-conditioned common spaces, checking on vulnerable residents, and providing information about cooling centers and other resources.

Here's where you can go to cool off over the next few days. For the most up-to-date list, check out the county's "Help for When It's Hot" website or visit the 211info website, which also includes information on other counties in the state.

Photo courtesy of Multnomah County

Overnight Cooling Centers

Residents can access transportation to cooling centers by calling 211info at 2-1-1. Trimet will also allow riders to board buses and trains without paying any fare if they are traveling to and from cooling centers. Overnight cooling centers are currently planned for three locations. Sunrise Center at 18901 E Burnside Street in Gresham. Open from 12 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Sunday. For more information about what to expect at a cooling center, check out this guide.

• Sunrise Center at 18901 E Burnside Street in Gresham. Open from 12 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Sunday.
• The Portland Building at 1120 SW 5th Avenue in Portland. Open from 12 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Sunday.
• Arbor Lodge at 7440 N Denver Avenue in Portland. Open from 12 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Sunday.

Daytime Cooling Centers

• Charles Jordan Community Center at 9009 N Foss in Portland. Open 12 p.m. through 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
• All open Multnomah County libraries are serving as daytime cooling centers. Check the library website for hours. Water will also be available.

Photo courtesy of Multnomah County

Misting Stations

Misting stations will be open in the following Portland City Parks Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m.

• Glenhaven Park at 900 NE Siskiyou Street
• Knott Park at the corner of NE 117th Avenue and NE Knott St
• Mt. Scott Park at 5530 SE 72nd Avenue
• East Portland Community Center at 740 SE 106th Ave
• Harney Park at the corner of SE 67th & Harney
• Lents Park at the corner of SE Holgate & 97th

Photo courtesy of City of Portland

Splash Pads

Splash pads will be turned on and running from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. at the following Portland city park locations from Wednesday through Sunday.

• Colonel Summers Park at SE 20th & Belmont
• Columbia Park at 4503 N Lombard Street
• Dawson Park at 1 N Stanton Street
• Earl Boyles Park at 10740 SE Francis Street
• Elizabeth Caruthers Park at 3508 SW Moody Avenue
• Essex Park at 7730 SE Center Street
• Farragut Park at N Kerby & Farragut
• Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street
• Irving Park at 707 NE Fremont Street
• Kenton Park at 8417 N Brandon Avenue
• Khunamokwst Park at 5200 NE Alberta Street
• Peninsula Park at 700 N Rosa Parks Way
• Pier Park at 10325 N Lombard Street
• Raymond Park at SE 118th Avenue and Raymond Street
• Spring Garden Park at 3332 SW Spring Garden Street
• Woodlawn Park at NE Dekum & Claremont

Remember that heat exposure can be life-threatening. Do your part to take care of yourself and your neighbors, and stay cool.

#portland #multnomah #oregon #heat #weather

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