Buffalo Opening Cooling Centers Due To Extreme Heat In Western New York

Who knew that the dog days of summer would hit Buffalo and Western New York so early in the season? Even though summer has only been officially in effect for less than two weeks, Mother Nature decided to remind the people of the Empire State that it does a lot more than just snow in the region.

With the Northeast sitting deep under a massive heat dome over the next few days, temperatures in the Buffalo region are expected to rise well into the 90s and, when you couple that with high humidity, the heat will feel oppressive around town.

To help people who may need additional assistance and support as the heat becomes dangerous, the city of Buffalo is extending hours at local splash pads and is opening up cooling centers all around town.

With extreme heat expected this week, we're asking residents to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families. If you don't have access to air conditioning, please visit one of our cooling centers, drink plenty of water, avoid prolonged time outdoors during the hottest parts of the day, and check in on older neighbors and loved ones.
-Sean Ryan, Mayor of Buffalo, New York

Buffalo's ten splash pads will be open until 8 pm every day until further notice, and there are at least seven locations in the city that will serve as cooling centers for those who need to get out of the heat.

Where Are Buffalo's Cooling Centers Located?

Buffalo has opened several community centers with air conditioning for people who want to hang out somewhere cool:

• Autumnwood Senior Center, 1800 Clinton St.,
• Belle Community Center, 104 Maryland St.,
• Delavan-Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan Ave.,
• Dorothy Collier Community Center, 118 E. Utica St.,
• Edward Saunders Community Center, 2777 Bailey Ave.,
• Gloria J. Parks Community Center, 3242 Main St.,
• Hennepin Community Center, 24 Ludington St.,

In addition to the seven centers opened by the city, Erie County is also making all 37 public libraries available as well.

You Can Also Get Help To Keep Your House Cool In New York State

While these cooling centers are great and are a necessary governmental benefit, you don't need to wait for them to open to find ways to cool off your house when it's excessively hot. If you don't have air conditioning in your house, New York State has a program that may be able to help you obtain an air conditioner or repair the one you own if it's out of order.

The New York State HEAP Cooling Assistance program can help you get a benefit of up to $1,000 for an air conditioner.

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

You can find more information about this program here.

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