Multnomah County, the City of Portland and community partners will continue to operate four overnight cooling shelters through 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, as the Portland metro area pushes through the final stretch of a prolonged heatwave.
The National Weather Service has extended an excessive heat warning and heat advisory through Sunday night, July 31. Daily high temperatures have been over 90 degrees since last Sunday, July 24, a historic stretch, with warm nights providing little relief. Today’s high temperature, which could reach 100 degrees, could be among the warmest yet.
A daytime cooling center in Old Town will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 30, while other cool spaces, including libraries and misting stations, also remain available. Go to multco.us/hot for updated information.
Cooling shelters continue to see an increase in guests seeking respite from heat. A high of nearly 250 people stayed at 24-hour cooling shelters on Friday, July 29, about 75% capacity for the four spaces. Staff will work to add capacity as needed, with the goal of not turning anyone away.
Many guests sought relief from the persistent hot temperatures in the air-conditioned spaces that offered safe places to rest or sleep, food and water, and accommodations for pets and service animals.
Officials urge the public to keep paying attention to messages about the heatwave and to take the dangers of this heat event seriously: check in frequently with neighbors, especially people who are older, live alone or don't have air conditioning.
Through Friday, July 29, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Program has reported three suspected hyperthermia deaths associated with this heatwave. Investigators say confirmation of the cause of death will not be complete for several weeks to months.
The number of emergency department visits for heat illness remains high. Emergency medical services responded to 26 heat-related calls Friday, July 29. Urgent care and emergency departments treated 16 people for heat illness on Friday alone and 52 since Sunday, July 24 — roughly half of the number of visits typically expected for the entire summer.
On Friday, in response to the compounding dangers in a heatwave that has lasted days longer than initially forecast, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury worked with the County’s Health Department and the Portland Housing Bureau to continue reaching out to people in affordable housing.
Affordable housing providers offer a critical link to thousands of low-income renters. Because of their direct connection, providers are uniquely positioned to communicate with some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
The Health Department worked with the Housing Bureau to provide basic — but potentially life-saving — guidance to the bureau’s portfolio of housing providers.
Chair Kafoury and Molly Rogers, interim Portland Housing Bureau director, personally called executive directors, emphasizing the need to share this information immediately. The County Health Department has also provided a direct contact for all housing providers.
Friday’s calls followed several other steps before and during the heatwave to directly reach vulnerable residents.
On Thursday, the City of Portland and Multnomah County, through their Everbridge Alert system, issued more than 425,000 calls and text messages to Multnomah County residents associated with heat islands and other higher-risk parts of the community. Nearly 10,000 calls and text messages were also made directly to residents in mobile home communities earlier in the week.
Earlier this summer, Multnomah County’s Environmental Health Division contacted operators of 300 multifamily buildings most at risk, offering information on how to check on residents and help residents stay cool and get to cooling spaces as needed when heat events arrive.
“With each warm day the risk has grown, and as we head into what could be one of the hottest days of this long heatwave, we need people to check in on family, friends and neighbors who could be in distress and help them find relief,” said Chair Kafoury.
“Don’t wait. It’s not too late to call, or knock on a door, to get someone to a place where they can cool down. Even a few hours can make a difference. A free ride to a cooling space is just a phone call or a transit stop away.”
Cooling shelters
Overnight cooling shelters will remain open at the following locations through 8 p.m. Sunday:
- Charles Jordan Community Center: 9009 N. Foss Ave., Portland
- East Portland Community Center: 740 S.E. 106th Ave., Portland
- Portland Building: 1120 S.W. 5th Ave., Portland
- Sunrise Center (staffed by Cultivate Initiatives): 18901 E. Burnside, Portland
Cooling centers and libraries
Multnomah County Libraries will also continue to offer a cool space for people seeking relief from the heat. Central Library downtown will extend its hours Saturday through 8 p.m., with two other libraries extending their Saturday open hours until 9 p.m.:
- Gresham: 385 N.W. Miller Ave., Gresham
- Holgate: 7905 S.E. Holgate Blvd., Portland
On Sunday, two libraries will extend their open hours until 8 p.m.:
- Gresham: N.W. Miller Ave., Gresham
- Central: 801 SW 10th Ave., Portland
Find all locations and hours on the Multnomah County Library website.
Transportation
Community members who need transportation support to or from a cooling site have several options. Anyone can arrange a free ride to a cooling site by dialing 2-1-1. On Friday, July 29, 211info received 32 calls for help with transportation. Overall, since Tuesday, July 26, 211info has arranged 135 rides to help people access cooling services.
TriMet will not turn away anyone riding to and from a cooling site who cannot pay fare through 10 p.m., Sunday, July 31. On buses, riders are asked to tell the operator that they are heading to/from a cooling site.
Misting stations
The City of Portland will host misting stations from noon to 8 p.m. at six parks. Stop by or sign up to volunteer:
- Dawson Park: 1 N. Stanton St. (Sign up to volunteer)
- East Portland Community Center: 740 S.E. 106th Ave. (Sign up to volunteer)
- Glenhaven Park, near skate park: 7900 N.E. Siskiyou St. (Sign up to volunteer)
- Harney Park, near restroom: S.E. 67th Ave. and S.E. Harney St. (Sign up to volunteer)
- Lents Park, at Walker Stadium: 4808 S.E. 92nd Ave. (Sign up to volunteer)
- Mt. Scott Community Center: 5530 S.E. 72nd Ave. (Sign up to volunteer)
Find pools, community centers and other cool community spaces on the County’s interactive map.
Drinking water filling stations
The City of Portland is also hosting 24-hour water filling stations at:
- Lents Park: 4808 S.E. 92nd Ave.
- McKenna Park: N. Princeton St. and N. Wall Ave.
- Big Four Corners Natural Area: 17820 N.E. Airport Way
- Lynchwood Park: S.E. 174th Ave. and S.E. Haig Dr.
Take care of yourself and others
If you see someone about whom you are concerned, call the non-emergency response line at 503-823-3333 and request a welfare check.
If you see a person outside during the heat of the day who looks disoriented or confused, don’t assume that person is intoxicated. Those are also signs of heat stroke, which can be deadly. Symptoms could include increased irritability, worry and stress, stumbling or an appearance of intoxication.
If someone’s life appears to be in danger, call 9-1-1.
The Multnomah County Behavioral Health Call Center is also available 24 hours a day to support anyone experiencing distress or to support those helping someone else. That includes responding to heat-related welfare checks, as well as resources and referrals for further support. Just dial 503-988-4888 (or toll-free at 800-716-9769; those who are hearing impaired can dial 7-1-1).
Outreach continues
Outreach teams and mutual aid groups continue to work to reach people in the community.
Since July 19, the Joint Office of Homeless Services’ downtown supply center has distributed nearly 123,000 bottles of water, 890 gallons of water, nearly 3,000 refillable bottles of water, more than 7,000 cooling towels and nearly 15,000 electrolyte packets.
Organizations and programs such as Cascadia Behavioral Health’s Street Outreach Team, JOIN’s Night Outreach, Cultivate Initiative, Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice Mental Health Mobile Unit and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office HOPE Team are making contact with people in the community, providing supplies and information about cooling locations and resources.
Bookmark these links
211info: Dial 2-1-1 to find cool spaces near you and for transportation support.
National Weather Service: Check the forecast and plan outdoor activities for the coolest times of day.
Cool places in Multnomah County: Find a library, community center, pool or splash pad near you.
Cool places in Clackamas County: Find cool spaces in Clackamas County.
Cool places in Washington County: Find cool spaces in Washington County.
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