JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville's Excessive Heat Task Force is addressing extreme heat in an effort to prevent heat-related illnesses.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Duval County, which will be in effect for much of this week. The advisory indicates the maximum heat index is expected to be between 108 degrees and 112 degrees Fahrenheit.
During times when a heat advisory is expected to last for three or more consecutive days, the city will activate a "heat emergency." It will open cooling centers at all Jacksonville public libraries and community centers, Monday through Saturday.
Cooling centers will also be activated when an excessive heat warning is issued by the NWS. This warning is given when the maximum heat index is expected to reach 113 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, even for one day.
On Sundays and holidays, two main cooling centers will be activated during heat emergencies: the Main Library, 303 N. Laura St., in Downtown Jacksonville, which will be staffed with facility personnel, contracted security and one Jacksonville Sheriff's Office officer; and the Legends Center, 5130 Soutel Drive, which will be staffed with facility personnel and contracted security. Those centers will operate from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays during heat emergencies.
For extreme heat events that happen from Monday to Saturday, cooling centers will open at several City of Jacksonville facilities during normal hours of operation; these locations are open regardless of any heat events, and include:
- All 21 COJ public libraries
- All 24 COJ community centers (avaliable in multiple neighborhoods)
- All 29 COJ pools and 16 splash pad
"The primary goal of the Cooling Center Contingency Plan is to provide safe, cool environments for individuals during extreme heat, reducing the risk of heat-related illnesses," the city said in a news release. "This plan outlines the steps and procedures to activate Cooling Centers when the National Weather Service Issues Heat Advisories, Watches, and Warnings for Duval County."
Admiral Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary of health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, joined Mayor Donna Deegan during a media briefing to announce the 2024 Extreme Heat Plan. She said heat is the deadliest weather-related event and called the city's plan innovative.
"People can come into very nice, cool environment, they can get water. But also they can read books, they can if they bring their families, they bring their children," Levine explained.
Deegan said the expansion of the cooling centers is part of her plan to ensure health equity for everyone living in Jacksonville.
"If we want to make sure that people's health is impacted, if we want to make sure they have a better quality of life, this has to be something where we really bring up the level of infrastructure in those areas," Deegan said.
Free transportation to cooling centers will be provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority on designated heat emergency days, the release says. The city said residents must tell the bus driver they are heading to a cooling center to receive service.
For more information on heat emergency days, visit JaxReady.com/StayCoolJax. The site also provides information for staying safe during extreme heat, including how to recognize heat-related illnesses and tips for ensuring the safety of pets.