Record dangerous heat conditions

 

City of Austin encourages Austinites to stay safe and conserve energy

Austin registered its highest heat index on record at 118 degrees last week and more triple-digit temperatures are expected this week. Today, City of Austin leadership shared tips on how to stay safe and cool this summer and discussed current efforts to care for Austin’s vulnerable populations.   “Austin always expects hot conditions during the summer months, but not to the degree that we’re experiencing this year,” City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “The City is working to ensure we’re available to the public and helping those in need during these excessively high temperatures, but we’re also asking our residents to help by checking on your neighbors, friends, family and pets.”    Multiple City departments are working to keep Austinites safe through a variety of roles.  Austin Energy constantly maintains and monitors its electric system to ensure performance during extreme summer conditions. The utility also works closely with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to keep its customers informed about grid conditions or calls for energy conservation. While ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch through this Friday, June 30, due to the forecast and higher energy demand, they expect normal grid conditions. As a reminder, local outages not related to grid conditions can still occur. In addition to weather-related incidents, power outages can occur due to animals, construction incidents or car crashes interfering with power lines.  This past weekend the Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) Disaster Relief Team collaborated with Austin Public Health’s (APH) Homeless Services Division to deliver 720 bottles of chilled water to eight homeless encampments throughout the city and will look to continue partnering and seeking additional ways to provide outreach to the homeless community.  Since April 1, 2023, Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) has responded to 224 heat-related incidents, with a dramatic increase in call volume over the past few weeks.  Of the 224 incidents, 151 occurred in June and 76 were in the past seven days.   Austin Public Health (APH) encourages Austinites to check in on one another, including neighbors without shelter from the heat. In extreme heat, anyone can be at risk, but some are more vulnerable to the effects, including pregnant women, people with heart or lung conditions, young children, older adults, athletes, outdoor workers and those who are unhoused. Extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat cramps, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and even death.   COOLING CENTERS  City of Austin facilities (including Rec Centers & Libraries) are available as cooling centers during normal business operations – many facilities are open until 8 pm.  This weekend, eight Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) facilities were available as cooling centers along with several libraries. These cooling centers serve as a reprieve from the heat, allowing people and their service animals to cool off during the hottest time of the day. Visit austintexas.gov/alerts  for the most up-to-date cooling centers information in 13 languages.   HEAT SAFETY TIPS  Stay hydrated. Remember to drink water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty.  Protect yourself:  Wear loose-fitting clothing,  Apply and re-apply sunscreen according to product labels,  Take shade breaks, especially if you work outside.  Practice water safety while cooling off in pools and open water.   Look Before You Lock:  Heat stroke is the leading cause of non-collision vehicle-related deaths in children.  Always check the back seats of your vehicle for children, pets, and adults before leaving and locking your parked vehicle.   Keep your pets safe too:   keep your four-legged family members inside whenever possible.  pack a collapsible water bowl for hydration breaks.  Visit ReadyCentralTexas.org for heat safety tips and how to spot/treat heat-related illnesses.    CONSERVATION TIPS  It’s important for us all to participate in energy conservation efforts when ERCOT asks. It really can make a difference. Also, you can save money and energy anytime with these tips to conserve energy while staying cool:  Raise your thermostat by a few degrees.  Turn on fans only in the room you are in to make it feel cooler.  Close shades and curtains to keep out direct sunlight.  Avoid turning on large appliances – such as the oven & clothes dryer – during the hottest time of the day.   You can even unplug appliances, chargers and electronics when you are not using them – They can use energy even when turned off.