The City of Greensboro is opening an overnight cooling center tonight, Thursday, June 11, in response to extreme heat.
The city announced Thursday morning that it’s activating its Orange Flag program, which means overnight cooling services will be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the Interactive Resource Center at 407 E. Washington St.
The overnight cooling center will be operated by staff from the Greensboro Community Safety Department and it will be open to both single adults and families.
Orange Flag activation occurs on days when forecasted daytime temperatures reach 90 degrees or higher and overnight temperatures aren’t expected to fall below 70 degrees.
The program is part of a larger summer effort by the city and the Guilford County Continuum of Care meant to help people deal with extreme heat – especially those who are homeless or otherwise don’t have reliable access to air conditioning.
The overnight Orange Flag cooling center is separate from the daytime cooling stations and hydration stations that are already operating in Greensboro this summer.
Beginning Saturday, June 6, the city opened a weekend cooling center at the Interactive Resource Center. That weekend cooling center will operate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through the end of August.
The IRC is also serving as a weekday cooling station from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Other weekday cooling stations this summer include Glenwood Together at 1310 Glenwood Ave., which is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and the Tiny House Community Development HOPE Center at 360 W. Gate City Blvd., which is open from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.
During the summer, people can also stop by the Greensboro Police Headquarters at 100 E. Police Plaza from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on holidays, to get a free bottle of water from the mini fridge in the lobby.
The city noted that the daytime cooling stations and the hydration station operate regardless of whether or not an Orange Flag has been activated.
The Greensboro Community Safety Department is handling the Orange Flag overnight operations. That department was created to take a broader approach to public safety, including prevention programs, crisis intervention and case management for people whose issues – such as homelessness, mental health problems or substance abuse –have brought them into frequent contact with law enforcement.
The Guilford County Continuum of Care is the regional planning and coordination body responsible for helping prevent and end homelessness across Guilford County.
More information on Greensboro’s extreme heat initiatives is available at www.Greensboro-nc.gov/CoolingCenters.
.
