JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayor Donna Deegan announced a plan to provide free bus transit to the six stations Monday. They will offer dedicated spaces for people needing heat relief, along with water. First responders will be on hand as well.
The cooling stations will open up 12-6 on any day the heat index goes over 113 degrees, or if it's stayed over 108 for three days in a row.
On Sundays, when some of the facilities are closed, JTA will provide cooling busses at those locations.
The cooling shelters are located at:
- Legends Center – 5130 Soutel Drive
- Highlands Regional Library – 1826 Dunn Avenue
- University Park Avenue – 3435 University Park Boulevard North
- Main Library – 303 N Laura Street
- Beaches Library – 600 3rd Street
- Charles Webb Westconnett Regional Library – 6887 103rd Street
"With global warming, it's not going to get any better. It's going to continue to be a challenge," Deegan said. "It's going to have to be incumbent on us to make sure we are facing that challenge head on, proactively as much as we can."
The National Weather Service says it tend to issue heat advisories 2-3 times per year in Jacksonville, but we've already had 12 this year.