SAN DIEGO (CNS) - As San Diego County prepares for a heat wave over the Labor Day weekend, Cool Zones will be in operation throughout the region to provide San Diegans a place to escape the heat.
Extreme heat is expected at the coast and inland valleys of San Diego County this Labor Day weekend and into early next week. The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued an excessive heat warning calling for triple-digit temperatures in some inland areas and the deserts through Tuesday.
Holiday weekends are traditionally a busy time in emergency departments. Dangerous heat conditions can add to the volume of people visiting the ED and strain hospital staff and resources.
"Check weather forecasts, stay hydrated, limit time outdoors, check on elderly or disabled neighbors, and visit Cool Zones," said Dr. Wilma J. Wooten, county public health officer.
"Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, clammy skin, and muscle cramps. Heatstroke symptoms include fever, flushed or red skin, lack of sweating, trouble breathing, and disorientation or confusion."
In the city of San Diego, the following locations will be open on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from noon to 5 p.m. each day:
-- Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd.;
-- City Heights Recreation Center, 4380 Landis St.;
-- Kearny Mesa Recreation Center, 3170 Armstrong St.;
-- Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 6401 Skyline Drive;
-- Montgomery Waller Recreation Center, 3020 Coronado Ave.;
-- Mountain View Community Center, 641 S. Boundary St.;
-- Nobel Recreation Center, 8810 Judicial Drive;
-- Pacific Beach Recreation Center, 1405 Diamond St.;
-- Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, 18448 West Bernardo Drive; and
-- San Carlos Recreation Center, 6445 Lake Badin Ave.
Additionally, the Neil Morgan Auditorium at the San Diego Central Library, located at 330 Park Blvd., will be open on Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Library services will not be offered on those days. The Central Library will be open Saturday for regular hours.
Cool zones offer air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. For an updated list of locations in the city of San Diego, visit sandiego.gov/cool-zones.
Countywide, on Monday, three libraries will open Cool Zone community rooms from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The three library branches are:
-- Ramona, 1275 Main St.;
-- Borrego Springs, 2580 Country Club Road; and
-- Valley Center: 29200 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center.
Regular library services will not be available.
People in San Diego County unable to get to a Cool Zone location without transportation assistance, such as older adults, people with disabilities, or people who are homebound, can call 2-1-1 to be connected to a transportation or rideshare service at no cost.
For more information about the signs and symptoms of emergencies like heat exhaustion and heatstroke, go to the county Health and Human Services Agency Extreme Heat webpage, www.sandiegocounty.gov/hhsa/programs/phs/extreme_heat/.
