Cooling center

[1][2] Cooling centers are one of the possible mitigation strategies to prevent hyperthermia caused by heat, humidity, and poor air quality.

[3][9] Cooling centers may also be used in places like Portland and Seattle where home air conditioning is rare but summer can bring temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) for several days.

[10][11] Similarly, during the 2018 heat wave and fires that reached northern Scandinavia, a supermarket in Finland was temporarily used as a cooling center.

[13] In general, formal or official cooling centers are implemented and operated by a variety of local actors such as municipalities, fire departments, county agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Cooling centers provide shade, water, and restrooms; medical attention and referrals to social services may also be offered.

Interior of a large hall in Los Angeles Central Library
Los Angeles Central Library , a designated cooling center.
Shopping malls have been used as informal cooling centers by people during extreme heat events.