Little Rock, Arkansas – Due to the heat advisory on Sunday, the cooling facilities in Little Rock and North Little Rock opened.
The objective of cities is to safeguard locals from potentially hazardous weather conditions.
“Anytime see extreme weather coming please know that the city is going to have some type of facility available,” Little Rock Parks and Rec, Communications Manager, Mike Garrity said.
Those in need have the opportunity to escape the heat and stay hydrated thanks to these openings. whatever the cause.
Anyone who is unsheltered, without sufficient air conditioning, or simply wants to escape the weather can use the cooling facilities for free.
“These are city facilities and the city of little rock these are your facilities and your tax dollars pay for these things so we want to make sure you are getting the best use of these… Especially in these emergency type situations… We want to make sure that there is space available for people to get out of the extreme weather when it’s necessary,” Garrity said.
Sheltering people helps avoid crises including heat exhaustion, dehydration, and more.
“We are the city so we need to provide those services that are necessary to keep our citizens safe and healthy. Being outside for extended periods of time during extreme weather is not good for anybody,” Garrity said.
Little Rock Parks & Recreation stated that even though the cooling centers are now closed, they have about 5 facilities ready to open on weekdays during severe weather and others on weekends. The availability of space will expand as demand rises.
The City of North Little Rock noted that whenever the heat index surpasses 105, facilities will be opened.