Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- With temperatures climbing into the high 90s, an excessive heat warning was issued for New York City and other parts of the area as an unusually early hot spell heralded the official start of summer, with people wilting at graduation ceremonies, students trying to learn in suffocating classrooms and authorities warning folks to check on elderly neighbors.
The official start of summer set records in some spots and got awfully close in others.
Health officials warned residents to drink water, stay out of the sun and in air conditioning, and to monitor the condition of pets. Public cooling centers have been set up in dozens of cities for those without air conditioning. Con Edison is asking residents in Brooklyn and Queens to conserve energy and turn off non-essential appliances after it reduced voltage by 5 percent to protect equipment and to keep everything running smoothly with the added stress on the power grid.
Forecasts called for temperatures to again hit the high 90s Thursday across the Northeast. Elementary and middle schools in the Hudson Valley planned to dismiss students early because of the heat.
INTERACTION: TO KEEP COOL IN THIS HEAT I _____.
Several relatives of high school graduates were treated for heat exhaustion at an outdoor ceremony in North Bergen and taken to a hospital, police told The Record of Bergen County. Ambulances were on standby at the event, which was held outside to accommodate about 5,000 people, said Capt. Gerald Sanzari of the North Bergen Police Department.
In Howell, school officials made Wednesday the last day of the school year instead of Thursday, citing the heat. And at nearby Wall High School, people attending the graduation ceremony will be able to watch a remote broadcast inside the air-conditioned building.
More than 450 cooling centers were opened around New York City, which is under a hot weather advisory with an expected high of 94 degrees. Mayor Michael Bloomberg encouraged people without air conditioning to seek out the cooler spaces or visit the city's beaches.
The city's 1.1 million public school students are still in session for another week, and just 64 percent of classrooms are air-conditioned. The city is leaving it up to teachers and administrators to monitor the situation in each school, Bloomberg said.
"There's nothing unsafe about it," Bloomberg said. "It may be a tiny bit uncomfortable, but these are young, strong people, and we're not going to ask anybody to stay in a building where we think it becomes dangerous."
On Long Island, Suffolk County SPCA chief Roy Gross cautioned against keeping pets in vehicles, noting temperatures can reach 120 degrees within minutes.
"Your pet can quickly suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke when trapped in these high temperatures," he said.
Tips and Resources to Beat the Heat>
As temperatures rise, residents are advised to avoid strenuous activity, drink plenty of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids, and take precautions against suffering heat-related illness.
Children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets are most at risk during excessive temperatures.
Health officials suggest the following heat related emergency safety tips:
Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible If you do go outside stay in the shade If your home is not air conditioned, spend at least two hours daily at an air conditioned mall, library or other public place Wear sunscreen outside, along with loose fitting light colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible Drink water regularly even if you are not thirsty. Limit alcohol, and sugary drinks which speeds dehydration Never leave children or pets alone in the car Avoid strenuous activity, or plan it for the coolest part of the day, usually in the morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m or in the evening. If you exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. If you are used to regular exercise, just keep in mind the symptoms of heat illness when exercising and stop or rest if any occur. Take a cool shower or bath - BUT be careful because sudden temperature changes can make you feel dizzy or sick. Be a good neighbor, check on elderly and people with disabilities in your community who may need assistance keeping cool. Use a fan only when the air conditioner is on or the windows are open. Fans alone will not keep you cool when it is really hot outside. Fans work best at night to bring in cooler air from outside.
Additionally, residents should contact their local and/or county offices of emergency management regarding any open air-conditioned senior centers or cooling stations.
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults and people with disabilities are more at risk for heat because they do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature; they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat; and they are more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body's ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration.
The CDC also offers the following tips for older adults, persons with disabilities and/or their caregivers:
Visit older adults who are at risk at least twice a day and watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Encourage them to increase their fluid intake by drinking cool, nonalcoholic beverages regardless of their activity level.
Warning: If their doctor generally limits the amount of fluid they drink or they are on water pills, they will need to ask their doctor how much they should drink while the weather is hot.
Take them to air-conditioned locations, if they have transportation problems.
Heat is often referred to as the "silent killer," in contrast to tornados, hurricanes and other natural hazards with more dramatic visual effects.
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MORE INFORMATION
New York City
The City will open air-conditioned cooling to help New Yorkers beat the heat. Cooling centers are air conditioned places, such as Department for the Aging senior centers, Salvation Army community centers, and public libraries that are open to the public during heat emergencies. Cooling centers will be open Wednesday and Thursday. To find the cooling center closest to you, call 311 or visit NYC.gov.
New Jersey:
Please log on to Ready.NJ.Gov, visit the National Weather Service Heat Safety Page (http://www.weather.gov/om/heat/index.shtml), or call 211.
Bergen County
There are several designated Cooling Centers open throughout the county. Additionally, Public libraries, shopping centers, recreation and senior centers also provide respite from the high temperatures.
County Administration Building
Multi-Purpose Room, first floor, One Bergen County Plaza
(201) 336-7300
(8:30 am to 5:00 pm)
Rutherford Senior Center
55 Kip Center (201)460-1600
(8:30 am to 4 pm)
The following cooling centers will be open through Friday, from 10:00 am through 6:00 pm as needed:
Northwest Bergen Multipurpose Senior Activity Center
46-50 Center St., Midland Park, NJ
(201) 445-5690
Bergenfield Senior Center
239 Murray Hill Terrace, Bergenfield, NJ
(201) 387-7212
Southwest Bergen Multipurpose Senior Activity Center
147 Hackensack St., East Rutherford, NJ
(201) 935-8920
Community Transportation can be reached by calling: (201) 368-5955
Fair Lawn has also announced the opening of three cooling centers that will be open throughout this week's heat wave.
Community Center: Wednesday through Friday - 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Senior Center: Wednesday through Friday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fair Lawn Library: Wednesday and Thursday - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hoboken
The City of Hoboken will open a cooling center at the Multi Service Center, 124 Grand Street, from 9am to 10pm on Wednesday, June 20. The National Weather Service is forecasting high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s and heat indices in the 100 to 104 degree range during Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Jersey City:
CLICK HERE for list of cooling centers and pool locations in Jersey City.
Westchester County:
Health Department website: WestchesterGov.com/health
Yonkers:
There are cooling centers in Yonkers at the following locations:
Peter Chema Center, 435 Riverdale Avenue, 10am-4:30pm Charles Cola Community Center, 945 North Broadway, 10am-3:30pm Coyne Park Community Center, 777 Mclean Avenue, 10am-3:30pm Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Center Grinton I. Will Library, 1500 Central Park Avenue, 9am-9pm (regular hours)
For more information on city cooling centers or for any additional assistance, please call the mayor's Help Line at 377-HELP.
New Rochelle:
The Hugh Doyle Senior Center on 94 Davis Avenue will offer extended hours on Wednesday and Thursday as a Cooling Center on Wednesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 12 from 8 AM - 6 PM. The New Rochelle Public Library will also be open Wednesday 10 AM-6PM and Thursday 9AM- 8PM. For further information on the cooling center, contact the Hugh Doyle Senior Center at 235-2363.
Clarkstown:
Cooling centers located at:
Central Nyack Community Center, 58 Waldron Avenue, Central Nyack, 845-358-2500, M-F 8am to 10pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday Closed Congers Community Center, 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, 845-268-9700, M-F 8am to 10pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm Pascack Community Center, 87 New Clarkstown Road, Nanuet, 845-371-6650, M-F 8am to 10pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, Sunday Closed Street Community Center, 31 Zukor Road, New City, 845-634-3039, M-F 8am to 10pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday Closed
New York State Ozone Information:
Elevated heat and humidity can also lead to unhealthy ozone levels. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forecasts daily ozone conditions on its website, Dec.NY.Gov, for the New York Metropolitan area, which includes Westchester County. Air quality updates are also provided daily on the New York State Air Quality Hotline at 1-800-535-1345.
Con Edison
Customers can report power interruptions or service problems, view service restoration information and the outage map online at ConEd.com, as well as on their mobile device. They also may call 1-800-75-CONED promptly if they are experiencing any service difficulties.
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