The National Weather Service has indicated that heat index values may approach the mid-to-high 90s this week. Mercer County and The City of Trenton encourage residents to drink plenty of fluids, avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, wear light colored and/or loose fitting clothing, and most importantly, check on relatives, friends and elders.
Temperatures through Wednesday are expected to reach the middle to upper 90s with a heat index (a measure of the combination of heat and humidity) of up to 102 degrees on Wednesday. Children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets are most at risk during excessive temperatures.
Hot weather can impact everyone, regardless of age or condition, but some people are more at risk than others. People most at risk include those over age 65, individuals with medical conditions, those taking medications that may affect the way the body reacts to heat, people with disabilities, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, babies and young children, those who are overweight or obese, individuals who work or exercise outdoors, and even those residents who may have recently arrived from cooler climates. Never leave children, pets or anyone with limited mobility alone in hot vehicles. Even with the windows rolled down, only minutes in a hot car can be deadly.
Below is a list of cooling centers throughout the City of Trenton. Each center is open from noon to 8:00 p.m. and offer light refreshments, sandwiches and transportation:
- Jennye Stubblefield Center – 301 Prospect St. – (609)-989-3463
- Sam Naples Senior Center – 611 Chest nut Ave. – (609)-989-3462
Also, be sure to cool off at any of the city’s public pools this summer from now until September 6:
- Cooper Pool – 396 Union Street
- Father Rocco Pool – 1501 New Willow Street
- Hetzel Pool – 190 North Olden Avenue
- Martin Luther King Jr. Pool – 347 Brunswick Avenue
- Roberto Clemente Pool – 342 Academy Street
Pools will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Senior Swim and Instructional Swim will be from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and Open Swim from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
For assistance in coping with the heat or to contact your local cooling site, please call the Mercer County Office on Aging at (609) 989-6661 or toll-free (877) 222-3737. During non-business hours, residents are encouraged to call 911 if they experience heat-related problems.
For more information regarding heat-related emergencies, please visit www.ready.nj.gov, the National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips and Resources page or the National Institute on Aging Hot Weather Safety page.
