In New York City, it’s not funny. Those who, in the summer, have to move forward and behind a metro dock and a pavement without shadow. And now that in recent days a heat dome, i.e. a high pressure area that keeps warm and humidity, has pushed the temperatures perceived on dangerous levels in most of the Northeast of the United States, including New York. the heat in the city weighs more, because asphalt, concrete and steel retain heat, and because many people face it in small, old or air-conditioned apartments. The Department of Health of the city estimates that every year about 500 New Yorkers die for causes related to the heat, often not during the most extreme days, but in simply very warm ones, when the risk is underestimated.
For this New York has a network of cooling centers, open refrigeration centers during hot emergencies. These are usually libraries, community centers, senior centers, NYCHA facilities or other public buildings with air conditioning. The city activates them when the National Weather Service provides a heat index of at least 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 °C) for two or more days, or 100 degrees (37 °C) for any period of time. It is therefore not the thermometer alone to trigger the plane, but the combination between temperature and humidity.
The easiest way to find one is to use the city’s Cooling Center Finder or call the 311. The map allows you to search for the nearest centers and to identify those accessible or pet-friendly; service animals – that is, those for the assistance of disabled people – are always allowed, even in non pet-friendly facilities. However, it must be said that the buildings have different times and rules depending on the structure, because the centers are managed by different agencies and partners. Before leaving, especially with the strong heat, you should check the map or call directly the chosen seat, to avoid making twenty minutes walk to arrive in front of a closed door.
The cooling centers are not the only tool. Public outdoor pools are free and this year they are open from 27 June to 13 September, usually from 11 to 19, with a cleaning break between 15 and 16. The city also indicates spray showers, fountains, shadow areas and other cooling points through Cool It! NYC. Hydrants, on the other hand, do not go open alone: you can ask a fire station to install a cap spray, a spout that reduces the jet and allows for recreational use safely. To do so, you have to be over 18 years old, show a document and fill out a form; an open idrant illegally can waste up to four thousand litres of water per minute and reduce the necessary pressure to firefighters.
As for private housing, New York has a support program that can cover the cost of a conditioner or fan for families who meet certain requirements, but for 2026 the questions are closed already from 5 June. In the meantime, the city has approved a new rule that, from 1 June 2030, will require the owners of many apartments for rent to provide cooling systems capable of maintaining at 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25 °C) the rooms in which you sleep, if the tenant asks.
L’articolo Survive the hot wave thanks to <i>cooling centers</i> proviene da IlNewyorkese.
