People cool off at the Oregon Convention Center.
Photographer: Nathan Howard/Getty Images North America
Operating the Perfect Cooling Center Is Harder Than It Looks
As temperatures climb, public officials are learning that getting people to come to air-conditioned cooling centers isn’t as easy as just opening the doors.
In rural Ajo, Arizona, temperatures topped 100F (38C) every single day in June and July. For most of that time, the only spot within roughly 40 miles offering a free air-conditioned refuge was the local library — and that was only Monday through Friday.
But on Aug. 3, Ajo celebrated the grand opening of its first “COOLtainer,” a repurposed shipping container outfitted with solar panels, a battery, AC, and seating. Arizona’s COOLtainer program has deployed 15 such containers since launching this year, with another three on the way. The one in Ajo brings Pima County’s tally of cooling centers to 39, and will help fill gaps in cooling capacity: It’s open on weekends and during power outages.