With summer just around the corner, Lincoln city officials have a plan to keep residents cool as temperatures rise.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) Director Kerry Kernen unveiled Thursday a new Heat Response Plan, outlining coordination among community partners and resident’s cooling and health resources.
Based on data from the National Weather Service, the city will issue recommended responses based on the three different heat alert levels:
- Heat Advisory – The heat index is expected to be 105-degrees or higher.
- Extreme Heat Watch – Extreme heat is possible in the next one to three days.
- Extreme Heat Warning – The heat index is expected to be at least 110 degrees or remain at 105 degrees or higher for four or more days.
The Health Department will send a heat brief to partners based on the heat level to prompt them to take steps outlined in the plan and share heat safety messages with clients, community members and staff.
Cooling centers and other designated sites will provide a limited number of heat relief kits, which include water bottles, sunscreen, electrolyte packets, and safety tips.
All Lincoln City Libraries and Parks and Recreation Community Centers will be available as cooling centers during regular business hours. Aging Partners Senior Centers will also be available. For senior center locations and hours, visit lincoln.ne.gov/AgingPartners or call 402-441-7070.
Extended hours of operation will be activated at four cooling centers. Three cooling centers will remain open until 8 p.m. daily, including weekends: Anderson Branch Library, 3635 Touzalin Ave.; Bennett Martin Library, 136 S. 14th St.; and the “F” Street Community Center, 1225 “F” St. The Aging Partners location at Victory Park, 600 S. 70th St. will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
From 2014 to 2023, the number of heat-related illnesses treated in emergency rooms doubled, Kernen said. To prepare for projected increases in average temperatures and extreme heat events, LLCHD collaborated with wide range of partners including the National Weather Service, cultural centers, utility providers, health systems, and community organizations to create a consistent framework of clearly defined terms, thresholds, and responses. Work on the plan is ongoing, she said.
See the plan at lincoln.ne.gov/Heat.