Wake, Cumberland counties open up cooling stations

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- With the high heat trend continuing, Wake County and Cumberland County are opening up cooling stations.

Starting at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, people can head to the Wake County Human Services building on Swinburne Street or the Eastern Regional Center in Zebulon.

The Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest and the Southern Regional Center in Fuquay-Varina will also be open.

ABC11 spoke with one couple who has their own system that works for them on the track and at home.

"We have fans in our house oscillating fans and the cubed fans blow for us as well as keeping the air conditioning on and we set it to one temperature and leave it at that."

If you don't need a cooling center be mindful of your energy use at home.

Bills are expected to rise by 20%, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

The increase is driven by the surge in cost for natural gas.

If you need assistance in Wake County you can head here for more info.

Remember to wear light or loose clothing, stay hydrated, stay in cool areas and never leave pets or children unattended in hot cars.

In Cumberland County, the Department of Social Services and Department of Public Health are opening up their lobbies as cooling stations.

All eight public libraries in the county will be open to cool people down.

The 18 Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Centers are also open for people to escape the heat.