Newark, NJ – July 6, 2010 – Mayor Cory A. Booker announced today that facilities will be available in every ward to keep citizens cool during the heat wave. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 90s to 100 degrees with increasing humidity.
 
“With temperatures expected to stay in the upper 90s, it is imperative that our residents drink plenty of fluids, stay indoors in a cool climate, and avoid strenuous activity. I urge our senior citizens and Newark residents who lack air conditioning to come to one of our cooling sites, where they can find relief during this hot spell,” said Mayor Booker.
 
The Department of Child and Family Well-Being, located at 110 William Street, and several other sites throughout the city, will function as cooling sites for residents seeking refuge from the heat. For more information about the cooling sites, seniors should contact the Office on Aging, during the hours of 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays at (973) 733-4392. A list of cooling sites is listed below.
 
Prolonged heat and humidity can present a serious health hazard, especially for young children, the elderly and persons taking certain medications. Residents should drink plenty of water, wear loose-fitting cotton clothing, stay indoors in a cool climate (like a movie theater or recreation center), avoid strenuous activity and check on the elderly and young. Symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke can include heavy sweating, paleness, tiredness, dizziness, and headache. A list of hot weather health concerns and measures to take is also attached below. For more information on how you can protect yourself go to:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp
 
Residents with questions or concerns can contact the City of Newark’s Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.
 
 
 
 
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CITY OF NEWARK COOLING SITES
 
Central Ward
Bethany Senior Center                                   (973) 733-5739
275 W. Market Street                                  
Newark, New Jersey 07103
Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
       
          
East Ward
Ironbound Senior Center                               (973) 424-4101
138 Clifford Street                                         
Newark, New Jersey  07105                         
Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
 
 
North Ward
Stephen Crane Elderly Complex (N)             (973) 430-2662
900 Franklin Avenue                                     
Newark, New Jersey  07107
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm
 
 
 
South Ward
South Ward Senior Center (M/N)                  (973) 424-4102
731 Clinton Avenue                                      
Newark, New Jersey  07108
Monday – Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm
 
 
West Ward
Unified Vailsburg Services Org. (N)              (973) 351-2159
462 Sanford Avenue                                      
Newark, New Jersey  07106
Monday – Friday 9:00am to 2:00pm
 
 
 
Newark Department of Child and Family Well-Being           (973) 733-7592
110 William Street
Room LL101
Newark, NJ  07102                
Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
 
 
 
 
Use Common Sense
 
Remember to keep cool and use common sense:
Avoid hot foods and heavy meals—they add heat to your body.
Drink plenty of fluids and replace salts and minerals in your body. Do not take salt tablets unless under medical supervision.
Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothing and shade their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella.
Limit sun exposure during mid-day hours and in places of potential severe exposure such as beaches.
Do not leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car.
Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area.
 
Hot Weather Health Emergencies
 
Even short periods of high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can cause heat-related illnesses. Know the symptoms of heat disorders and overexposure to the sun, and be ready to give first aid treatment.
 
Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.  Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.
 
Recognizing Heat Stroke
 
Warning signs of heat stoke may vary but may include the following:
 

• Red, hot, and dry skin
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

 
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperature and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids.  It is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat.  Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.
 
Warning signs of heat exhaustion include the following:
 

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Fainting

 
Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body's salt and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles may be the cause of heat cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.
 
Recognizing Heat Cramps
 
Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms—usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs—that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.
 
What to Do
 
If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:
Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place.
Drink clear juice or a sports beverage.
Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in 1 hour.
 
Information source: Centers for Disease Control.