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Cooling Centers during Extreme Heat

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Cooling centers:

Cooling centers are air-conditioned public facilities where you and your family can go for relief during periods of extreme heat to prevent or reduce heat-related illness and stress.

The criteria determining when the county opens a cooling center includes meeting the following conditions:

  • The National Weather Service issuing a Heat Risk Level 3 warning or greater for at least three consecutive days; AND
  • The National Weather Service issuing an Excessive Heat Warning; and/or
  • A forecast of high daytime temperatures accompanied with overnight low temperature of at least 75 degrees or higher; and/or
  • The California Independent System Operator issuing an Energy Emergency Alert 2 or Alert 3 electrical emergency.

Extreme Temperature Response – In June 2023, the Department of Emergency Management supported its Sonoma County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan with the Extreme Temperature Incidents Annex, which outlines procedures guiding a collaborative response by local governments, special districts, and allied agencies in the Sonoma County Operational Area to extreme temperature incidents.