SAVANNAH — Savannah is opening free cooling locations this weekend as temperatures are expected to feel as hot as 110 degrees starting Sunday.
What’s happening: The heat index — what the temperature feels like once humidity is factored in — is expected to reach between 105 and 110 degrees in coastal southeast Georgia and coastal South Carolina on Sunday, July 5, and into early next week. The rest of Georgia has already been under a heat advisory since Friday, with heat index values up to 105 degrees expected through Saturday evening.
Where to go: The city is opening a cooling center, pools, and splash pads.
- Cooling center: Tompkins Center, 2333 Ogeechee Road, open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Pools (free admission), open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Daffin Pool, 1301 E. Victory Drive; Jenkins Pool, 1800 E. DeRenne Avenue (Saturday and Sunday only)
- Splash pads, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Victory Heights Park (E. 41st Street), Avondale Park (2117 Alabama Avenue), Ben Van Clark Park (1202 E. Park Avenue), Hudson Hill Community Center (202 W. Lathrop Avenue), Tompkins Community Center (2333 Ogeechee Road), Tatemville Community Center (333 Coleman Street), Hull Park (55th Atlantic Avenue), Forest Hills Park (4901 Skidaway Road), Crusader Community Center (81 Coffee Bluff Villa Road)
Staying safe: Drink plenty of fluids and stay out of direct sunlight. If you have to be outside, wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and try to save hard physical activity for early morning or evening. Check on neighbors and relatives. Never leave children or pets alone in a vehicle — car interiors can reach deadly temperatures within minutes.
Know the signs: Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Anyone showing symptoms — confusion, hot and dry skin, or loss of consciousness — should be moved to a cool, shaded spot right away and 911 should be called. Heat exhaustion, which can include heavy sweating, weakness, and nausea, can turn into heat stroke if not treated quickly.
Who is most at risk: Elderly people, young children, and outdoor workers face the greatest danger. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause dehydration, organ damage, and death.
Aw, Hell. Actually, come to think of it, Hell might be a few degrees cooler than Macon right now.
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
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