persons feet on water
Photo by Carlos Felipe Vericat Sanz on Unsplash

What’s happening: The heat index — how hot it actually feels once humidity is factored in — is expected to reach 108 degrees today. That level of heat can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke, both of which are medical emergencies.

Where to go:

  • Cooling center (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.): Grant Center Gym, 1310 Richards Street
  • Pools — free admission (1 p.m. to 6 p.m.): Bowles Ford, 1900 Stiles Ave.; WW Law, 900 E. Bolton St.; Daffin, 1301 E. Victory Drive; Jenkins Pool, 1800 E. DeRenne Ave.; Tompkins Center, 2333 Ogeechee Road
  • Splash pads (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.): Victory Heights Park, E. 41st St.; Avondale Park, 2117 Alabama Ave.; Ben Van Clark Park, 1202 E. Park Ave.; Hudson Hill Community Center, 202 W. Lathrop Ave.; Tompkins Community Center, 2333 Ogeechee Road; Tatemville Community Center, 333 Coleman St.; Hull Park, 55th Atlantic Ave.; Forest Hills Park, 4901 Skidaway Road; Crusader Community Center, 81 Coffee Bluff Villa Road; Forsyth Park, 1 W. Gaston St.

More indoor options: Union Mission at 120 Fahm St. is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come As You Are at 1901 Pennsylvania Ave. is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Salvation Army at 3100 Montgomery St. is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The CSAH Outreach Team, a city street outreach program, is available from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

What this means for you: City pools are free today. If you or someone near you shows signs of heat stroke — confusion, hot dry skin, or loss of consciousness — call 911 immediately.

Stay safe: Drink plenty of water, wear loose and lightweight clothing, and stay out of direct sun during the hottest part of the day. Check on elderly relatives and neighbors. Never leave children or pets in a parked car. If you have to be outside, try to move hard physical activity to early morning or evening.

Aw, Hell. Actually, come to think of it, Hell might be a few degrees cooler than Macon right now.
— B.T. Clark
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B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.