LOS ANGELES – An Excessive Heat Warning from the National Weather Service is in effect for the entire Los Angeles region through Monday, September 9 at 8:00 PM. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass directed City Departments to take immediate action and has increased and extended resources to assist Angelenos in staying cool. In response to recent power outages relating to this continuing heat, LADWP has elevated its alert and increased crews restoring power in impacted neighborhoods. A full citywide coordination to protect Angelenos from the heat is in effect, and augmented cooling centers are open as an additional resource through Monday, September 9.
“LADWP has elevated its alert and increased crews to bring power back to those impacted by recent outages,” said Mayor Bass. “A citywide coordination to protect Angelenos is in effect, and we will continue to urgently provide resources for Angelenos throughout Los Angeles in order to beat the heat.”
The Mayor’s Office of Public Safety continues to coordinate with the Emergency Management Department, Climate Emergency Mobilization Office (CEMO), LAFD, LAPD, Recreation and Parks, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), and other City Departments to ensure all departments are ready to respond to this heatwave. LADWP is at an elevated response level that allows for extra crews to respond to outages.
The City of L.A. Climate Emergency Mobilization Office has also created the Cool Spots L.A. app that identifies cooling amenities and their locations in L.A., such as our public libraries, recreation centers, cooling centers, community pools and splash pads, hydration stations and shade structures. Read more here. Note that the app does not include the augmented cooling centers mentioned below. Angelenos are also encouraged to sign up for NotifyLA.org, to receive heat and adverse weather alerts on your phone. For updates, please visit emergency.lacity.gov/updates.
Augmented Cooling Centers
The City of Los Angeles has hundreds of free locations open for relief from the heat including Recreation and Parks facilities and local library branches. For location and hours of operation, visit https://www.laparks.org/reccenter and https://www.lapl.org/branches. Angelenos can also call 3-1-1 from within L.A. City to learn more. Augmented cooling centers are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs and are equipped for Angelenos to charge devices, including medical devices, and refrigerate medication if needed.
The City has opened the following augmented cooling centers, which will now be extended through Monday, September 9:
Fred Roberts Recreation Center
4700 Honduras St., Los Angeles, CA 90011
Mid Valley Senior Center
8801 Kester Ave., Panorama City, CA 91402
Sunland Senior Center
8640 Fenwick St., Sunland, CA 91040
Jim Gilliam Recreation Center
4000 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90008
Lincoln Heights Senior Center
2323 Workman St., Los Angeles, CA 90031
Lafayette Recreation Center
625 S. Lafayette Park Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90057
10 City Libraries will be open on Sundays from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Find your closest branch here. The City is also working to open additional libraries in high-heat areas during off hours. Visit https://www.lapl.org/branches for additional hours of operations.
The following libraries will be extending their hours to be open on Sunday from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM:
Chinatown Branch Library
639 N Hill St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Pacoima Branch Library
13605 Van Nuys Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 91331
The Mayor's Office of Housing and Homelessness also activated hotel vouchers for unhoused Angelenos through LAHSA on Wednesday. Outreach began this week to connect the vouchers with Angelenos in need and is ongoing.
Heat Relief In Skid Row
Climate stations that provide cold beverages, seating, shade and more are open and operating in Skid Row for Angelenos to stay cool. Stations are operating at:
Towne St. (between 5th St. & 6th St.) across the street from the ReFresh Spot.
San Pedro St. mid-block between 6th St. & 7th St.
5th and Maple
The ReFresh Spot, located at 544 Towne Avenue, is also open and provides the Skid Row community access to drinking water, restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. The ReFresh Spot is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is open to anyone in the community, free of charge.
Safety Tips For Angelenos To Avoid Heat Injury
Seek shade and refuge from the hot sun if you must be outside.
Stay hydrated and drink more water, especially if you drink coffee or soda.
Check in on and prepare your household, family, friends, pets and workplace.
Limit your exposure to direct sunlight between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, when the sun's rays are strongest.
If you feel ill, tell someone immediately. Symptoms of dehydration and heat illness may include dizziness, fatigue, faintness, nausea, muscle cramps, headache and vomiting.
Symptoms of heat stroke include:
High body temperature (103°F or higher)
Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
Fast, strong pulse
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Losing consciousness (passing out)
In the event of a heat stroke:
Call 911 right away – heat stroke is a medical emergency
Move the person to a cooler place
Help lower the person's temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath
Do not give the person anything to drink
Listen to your body, and remember that those with chronic illness such as asthma, heart disease etc., are more vulnerable to extreme heat. Please take extra precautions.
Click here for more safety tips from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Click here for safety tips in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Armenian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and more.
Aggressively Responding To Power Outages
As of 12:00 PM, Saturday, September 7, there were 7,042 out of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) 1.5 million electric customers without power. Crews continue to prioritize the restoration of longer-duration outages as well as large circuit outages. LADWP is at an elevated response level that allows for extra crews to restore power to customers experiencing a power outage. LADWP will work around the clock to repair equipment and restore power over the period of the heat wave.
In the event of a power outage:
Report power outages at www.ladwp.com/outages or by calling 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397).
LADWP customers can sign up to receive outage alerts via text or email at www.ladwp.com/outagealert.
LADWP also shares updates on outage restoration progress to affected communities via NextDoor.com.
For updates related to LADWP’s outage restoration efforts, visit www.ladwpnews.com
To find out more about LADWP’s energy efficiency rebates and programs, click here.
Pools & Splash Pads
The Department of Recreation and Parks will offer these facilities during hours of operation to the public. Click here for more information.
Spreading Heat Safety Awareness
The Mayor’s Office and the City’s Chief Heat Officer are working in sync with City Departments and Bureaus, L.A. County, and a network of NGOs, to build heat safety awareness and prepare for heat risks in a proactive, coordinated, and equity-driven approach. The City has launched a multilingual heat safety campaign, “Heat Relief 4 LA”, which includes information in multiple languages to help keep Angelenos safe during extreme heat events this summer. The Public Service Announcement can also be found on Bus Shelters in various languages throughout the City of LA. Learn more here.
Protecting Our Pets From Extreme Heat
In preparation for extreme heat, the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services offers these tips to keep your animals safe:
Avoid walking pets during the warmest parts of the day (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM). If you must walk your pet, avoid hot surfaces.
Never leave your pet alone inside a vehicle. A car can overheat even when a window has been slightly opened.
Give your pet extra water. Always make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water to drink. If your pet enjoys ice cubes, add them to their water dish.
Keep pets indoors (if possible) during hot weather, but if you keep them outside, ensure they have adequate shade to escape the sun, and ensure that they have plenty of fresh water nearby.
Avoid hot surfaces. Touch the ground first before venturing out. If the surface is too hot to touch with your hand or bare feet, it's too hot for your pet's paws.
For more information about LA Animal Services and tips to keep pets and people safe, click here.