NEWS RELEASE: Multnomah County keeps cooling centers open Sunday, Aug. 24, as cumulative heat increases risk 

On this page

  1. 911 calls, emergency department visits down from Friday
  2. Stay safe if seeking relief in waterways
  3. Air quality poor for sensitive groups; inside in a cool place is safest
  4. Chair, Mayor declare states of emergency
  5. Heat doesn’t affect everyone equally: Who’s most at risk?
  6. Stay informed and check on your community

Multnomah County will reopen two daytime cooling centers from noon to 9 p.m. today, Sunday, Aug. 24. While temperatures are expected to improve slightly to the high 90s, Public Health officials warn homes without air conditioning will reach their hottest point after three days of simmering heat and little overnight cooling.

The cooling centers are just one part of the County’s work to offer relief as temperatures reached 100 degrees Friday and Saturday and will stay in the high 90s into this week. This heat wave will be the highest heat risk event of the year so far because of the cumulative effects of multiple hot days in a row.

The Homeless Services Department is continuing to coordinate emergency street outreach services. Outreach teams, mutual aid groups and volunteers are bringing supplies and cooling center information to people living outside across the county. The County has provided outreach teams with 26,136 bottles of water, 1,000 reusable water bottles, 2,000 cooling towels, 2,500 electrolyte packets and 2,500 packets of sunscreen.

The cooling centers that will be open from noon to 9 p.m. today are:

The cooling centers opening today will provide food and water. Pets are welcome. The Medical Reserve Corps will be at both sites from 6 to 9 p.m.

Cooling centers open Saturday served a cumulative total of 109 people. 

Three libraries will stay open two hours longer than their usual schedule Sunday, Aug. 24, until 8 p.m., offering respite from the heat:

Cooling center flyers for Sunday’s locations are available in English and Spanish. (Alternate versions of flyers with photos of building entrances are also available in English and Spanish.) Always visit multco.us/hot for the latest information in case new locations are added or cooling centers open on additional days. 

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, TriMet won’t turn away anyone who is going to a cooling space and who cannot otherwise pay their fare. Please tell your bus operator that you’re heading to or from a cooling space.

911 calls, emergency department visits down from Friday

Multnomah County saw more 911 calls than usual on Saturday, with 367 emergency calls (a typical day sees about 338 calls). At least 13 were dispatched as heat-related, and included people who were housed, unhoused, working outside and exercising. The County saw 415 calls to 911 on Friday, Aug. 22.

Heat-related emergency department and urgent care visits also remained higher than normal, with five visits (a typical day sees just one). However, this was much lower than Friday’s 16 visits.

Stay safe if seeking relief in waterways

Many people might be in natural waterways Sunday to beat the heat. If you plan to seek relief from the heat in waterways, please swim and splash safely. Be aware of swift currents, cold water temperatures, hidden hazards and uneven bottom surfaces. Due to recent Willamette River closures due to toxic blue green algae, avoid any area with possible algae. Find what it looks like — and the latest advisories from the State of Oregon — here.

Air quality poor for sensitive groups; inside in a cool place is safest

Public Health is advising people in sensitive groups should watch air quality and move indoors during the afternoon and early evening hours when ozone (smog) is likely to peak. Sensitive groups include children, older adults and people with respiratory conditions.

The mandatory wood burning restriction for residents in Multnomah County remains in place alongside the Multnomah County Fire Defense Board-issued burn bans for fire safety. 

Chair, Mayor declare states of emergency

At a press conference on Friday, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson both declared a state of emergency due to dangerous temperatures this weekend. The emergency is in effect through noon Monday, Aug. 25. 

Overall, dozens of other cool spaces, including pools and splashpads, are listed on this Multnomah County interactive map. For additional help finding a cool space or for transportation assistance to a cooling location, dial 2-1-1.

Cool spaces like community centers, senior centers, government buildings and malls — including Lloyd Center — will also be open and welcoming visitors.

Ahead of the heat, Multnomah County conducts outreach, calling property managers and those most vulnerable to make sure they’re prepared. The County partners with community-based organizations including Meals on Wheels People, the Center for Positive Aging and others to spread the word about heat concerns and encouraging those without air conditioning to seek cooling spaces. 

The County has continued to conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness and vulnerable clients like veterans and seniors, and has maintained work to contact building managers and community-based organizations.

Heat doesn’t affect everyone equally: Who’s most at risk?

Extreme heat can be deadly for anyone in spaces without air conditioning, and it does not affect everyone equally:

  • Two out of every 3 people who have died because of extreme heat since 2021 were men over 50.
  • Most lived alone and without air conditioning.
  • Heat has also particularly affected veterans who may try to “tough out” a heat wave. Overall, veterans accounted for roughly half of all recent heat deaths. 

High temperatures can also be especially dangerous for people spending prolonged time outdoors, the very young, pregnant individuals, those over 50 and people with health conditions. 

Officials warn that the cumulative days of heat with such little overnight cooling — especially in apartments with no air conditioning — will increase risk especially for people who are homebound, elderly, have a disability or underlying health conditions.

Stay informed and check on your community

If you are concerned someone is in heat distress, ask if they need help finding a cool space.

Heat illness requires action and possibly medical attention. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. For medical emergencies, call 911. If you're not comfortable approaching someone, call the City of Portland’s non-emergency line at 503-823-3333 and request a “welfare check.”