Extreme Heat Message from Mayor Bowser

With temperatures on the rise and expected to remain high throughout the week, the DC Government is urging residents to stay safe. The Department of Human Services (DHS), in collaboration with the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), activated due to unsafe weather conditions as a result of extreme heat. The plan will be activated on all days when the heat index, a measurement of the air temperature in relation to the relative humidity, or the temperature reaches 95 degrees. In the event of extreme heat, residents should take the following precautions:

– Stay indoors as much as possible.

– Turn on the air conditioner or fan.

– Never leave children or pets in vehicles.

– Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

– Wear light-colored, lightweight, and loose-fitting clothes.

– Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outside.

– Limit exposure to the sun, especially between 10 am and 3 pm

– Watch for symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.

– Check on elderly or sick neighbors and friends.

– Those without access to cool shelter can visit one of the District’s Cooling Centers. Cooling Center   locations can be found on heat.dc.gov. (Note: East Potomac Pool (972 Ohio Drive, SW) and Happy Hollow Children’s Pool (2200 Champlain Street, NW) are closed for the season due to major renovations.)

On days when the city’s Heat Emergency Plan in activated, The DC Government also activates emergency Cooling Centers. The Cooling Centers are activated in publically accessible government facilities, homeless shelters, and senior citizen wellness centers, and remain open until 6 pm or until it has been deemed safe to be outdoors. For information about services provided during an Extreme Heat Warning, go to heat.dc.gov or call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center by dialing 311. Residents can register to receive Heat Emergency alerts on their devices at alertdc.dc.gov. 

To request transport to shelter for persons in DC who are experiencing homelessness and are outside, contact the Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or by dialing 311. Include the time when the person was seen, the address or location of the sighting, and a description of the person’s appearance. 

Throughout the summer, when the temperature is predicted to be 90 degrees or higher or the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announces unhealthy air quality (Code Orange or Code Red days), DPW collection crews will begin their work at 6 am.