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West Valley heat relief stations will be in place April 26

Salvation Army responding to Arizona’s first Excessive Heat Warning of the year

Posted 4/23/20

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) will activate heat relief stations throughout the West Valley where anyone in need can go for indoor cooling and hydration in response to …

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West Valley heat relief stations will be in place April 26

Salvation Army responding to Arizona’s first Excessive Heat Warning of the year

Posted

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) will activate heat relief stations throughout the West Valley where anyone in need can go for indoor cooling and hydration in response to Arizona’s first Excessive Heat Warning of the year, on Sunday, April 26.

The locations are:

  • Glendale – Glendale Corps Community Center, 6010 W. Northern Ave.; and Valley of the Sun Korean Corps Community Center, 7238 N. 61st Ave.
  • Surprise – Sun Cities West Valley Corps Community Center, 17420 N. Avenue of the Arts Blvd.
  • Avondale – Estrella Mountain Corps Community Center, 11 N. Third Ave.

“The Salvation Army Emergency Disasters Services has been on the front lines during our current public health crisis, serving our most vulnerable neighbors with food, household goods, and more,” The Salvation Army Metro Phoenix program coordinator Major David Yardley stated in a news release, “and we consider extreme heat a natural disaster in Arizona, so we also want people to know they can count on The Salvation Army during an Excessive Heat Warning to get what can be life-saving cooling and hydration.”

The Salvation Army’s heat relief stations will follow all recommended CDC COVID-19 guidelines for safety.

These heat relief stations will be open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on April 26 – and on any day the National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning.

A mobile hydration unit will also be dispatched on April 26 to targeted portions of the Valley that have been identified as areas with high homeless populations and encampments.

“We also encourage the community to check on neighbors who might be at risk of dehydration or heat-related health issues,” Mr. Yardley stated.

To donate to help neighbors in need, visit www.SalvationArmyPhoenix.org or text HEAT to 51555. To volunteer at a heat relief station call The Salvation Army at 602-267-4100.

Last year, The Salvation Army EDS served nearly 26,000 people on Excessive Heat Warning days.

The Salvation Army EDS is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Heat Relief Regional Network, the goal of which is to provide resources for vulnerable people and help prevent heat-associated deaths.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat warning for this Sunday, April 26, creating an early need for water donations as well as refuge and hydration stations. As a result of the heat warning, The Salvation Army is preparing to open 12 emergency heat relief stations on Sunday. The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) coordinates the annual Heat Relief Network, which will officially launch May 1, 2020 with a more robust map of cooling centers, hydration stations and donation sites available at that time.

Tips to Avoid Heat-Related Illness

  • Increase fluid intake regardless of activity level. Staying hydrated is extremely important.
  • Limit exercise or outdoor activity between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
  • When outdoors, wear a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 and reapply often. Wear a hat, lightweight clothing and sunglasses.
  • Rest frequently in shady or cool areas to give the body's temperature a chance to recover and cool down.
  • Never leave adults, children or pets inside a parked vehicle.
  • Respectfully check on elderly neighbors to make sure their air conditioning is working and in use. Take advantage of free air-conditioning by visiting locations like shopping malls, the library or other heat refuge locations provided on the map.
  • For more information about how you can avoid a heat-related illness, go to the Arizona Department of Health Services website.