Buffalo opens cooling centers in anticipation of heatwave

A heat wave is blowing through Buffalo and Western New York over the next few days. With temperatures hovering in the 90s this week, it’s important that people find ways to stay safe and cool while being aware of the risk of heat stroke.

While these extreme temperatures are expected to persist in the 716 for several days, it is critical to ensure that the impact of extreme heat on people is not minimized or ignored. To reduce these risks, Buffalo city officials announced the opening of 12 cooling centers throughout Buffalo to help residents stay safe and cool.

Cooling centers are an important part of our city’s emergency response plan during extreme heat events. It is especially critical to ensure that these sites are open and accessible to people who are homeless or those who do not have an adequate cooling system in their home… At the cooling centers, people will have access to drinking water, a place to cool off and water points in case of problems. they have to charge their phone.
-Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo, New York

It’s still very early in the summer season, and while the City of Buffalo’s public wading and wading pools are open, outdoor public pools are not yet open. However, the city is opening several cooling centers, where you can stop by to enjoy their air conditioning and avoid the extreme heat.

Cooling centers open in Buffalo

• Autumnwood Senior Center, 1800 Clinton Street,
• Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan Ave.,
• Dorothy J. Collier Community Center, 118 E. Utica St.,
• Gloria J. Parks Community Center, 3242 Main Street,
• Hennepin Community Center, 24 Ludington Street,
• Lincoln Fieldhouse, 10 Quincy Street,
• Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Avenue,
• Peter Machnica Community Center, 1799 Clinton Street,
• Schiller Park Senior Center, 2057 Genesee Street,
• Tosh Collins Senior Center, 35 Cazenovia Street,
• Westside Community Services, 161 Vermont Street,
• YMCA William-Emslie Senior Center, 585 William Street.

Help to keep your home cool is also available in New York

While these cooling centers are great and a necessary government benefit, you don’t need to wait for them to open to find ways to cool your home when it’s excessively hot. If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, New York State has a program that may be able to help you get an air conditioner or repair one you have if it’s broken.

New York State’s HEAP Cooling Assistance program can help you receive up to $1,000 in benefits for an air conditioner.

You can apply for cooling assistance to purchase and install an air conditioner or fan for your home. Your household is eligible for either, and the price cannot exceed $800 with the installation of a portable air conditioner or fan, and must not exceed $1,000 for a sleeved unit existing wall. Like HEAP funding, cooling assistance funds are limited and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
-New York State Office of Temporary Assistance and Assistance

You can find more information about this program here.

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