Why Some Cooling Centers Sit Empty During Heat Emergencies
Also today: The cross-continental race using only public transit, and Tim Walz knows the power of maps.
People cool off at the Oregon Convention Center.
With this year on track to be the hottest ever, cities worldwide are embracing cooling centers as a life-saving strategy. These indoor public spaces are activated during extreme heat — whether that means equipping existing spaces like libraries or setting up mobile facilities like “COOLtainers.” But operating one takes more than just turning on the air conditioning and opening the doors to residents.
In some cities, dozens of sites sat empty during heat emergencies. In others, researchers found that cooling centers were located far from the most vulnerable groups. As some local US officials are learning, success often depend on tapping into community networks, making cool spaces as accessible as possible and — as Zahra Hirji writes — “location, location, location.” Today on Bloomberg: Operating the Perfect Cooling Center Is Harder Than It Looks