The Department of Human Services, City of San Antonio, and Haven for Hope are reaching out to help the most vulnerable community members as San Antonio braces for near-record high temperatures this weekend.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) will open four facilities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 29 and Sunday July 30 as cooling stations. The sites, covering four quadrants of the city, are:
· Frank Garrett Community Center, 1226 N.W. 18th Street Click here for map, directions
· Claude W. Black Community Center, 2915 E. Commerce Street Click here for map, directions
· Bob Ross Senior Center, 2219 Babcock Road Click here for map, directions
· Southside Lions Senior Center, 3303 Pecan Valley Drive Click here for map, directions
The two senior centers will be open to all seniors, including seniors with disabilities. The two community centers will be open to seniors, people with disabilities, families and children. On weekends, seniors can ride free on VIA Metroplitan Transit (click here to learn more).
Find more cooling stations on this map from the San Antonio Office of Emergency Management:
View Cooling Sites 2017 – San Antonio Area in a full-screen map.
Haven for Hope Outreach will be on-call Saturday, July 29 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to assist with transporting homeless individuals to the Haven campus. The outreach team purchased additional emergency supplies to provide to homeless individuals in the streets and in encampments this weekend. Call 210-220-2114 to arrange for transportation on Saturday; leave a message and the call will be returned promptly.
Haven for Hope is preparing for an increase in emergency shelter this weekend; no person shall be turned away. All available space on the main campus, to include common areas and offices, will be offered to families who are homeless or displaced from their permanent residence due to excessive heat conditions in their homes.
Single persons will be granted access to the courtyard where cooling fans with water misters have been installed in addition to ground base fans used to cool larger areas. Indoor overflow areas have been designated for any sudden surge of guests, the elderly, or those at risk of heat-related illness and injury.
The National Weather Service issued a statement this week about elevated heat index values continuing into the weekend. Afternoon heat index values will peak during the afternoons in the 104 to 108 degree range for much of South Central Texas through Saturday.