With the summer temperature pattern locked in on hot and humid and feeling more like it's over 100 degrees, Wake County announced the opening up of cooling stations.
Extreme heat and high humidity can be dangerous to anyone, but particularly to the elderly, infants, and young children, persons with disabilities, and people on medication for chronic health problems.
Sites that are not normally open to the public, such as EMS stations, fire stations, and county fleet maintenance buildings, will not be available as cooling stations.
Here's a list of places to take a break from the heat:
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Locations
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Tuesday is the Fourth of July holiday and cooling stations will be closed
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Locations
**Recreation Centers will be open July 4 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The Cumberland County Department of Social Services
Hours: Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: 1225 Ramsey St.
All public lobbies will be available to citizens. Masks or face coverings are encouraged for those with preexisting conditions.
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health (First-floor lobby)
Hours: Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: 1235 Ramsey St.
*Masks or face coverings are required in some areas and immediately following a COVID-19 infection or close contact.
The lobbies of Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Centers are open to the public year-round, during normal operating hours and can be used by residents as a respite from the heat.
The lobby of the Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST), located at 505 Franklin St., is also open to the public during normal operating hours.
All eight Cumberland County Public Libraries
Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville, along with Cliffdale, North Regional, and Hope Mills branches are also open Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m.
Adults older than 65, children younger than four, people with existing medical conditions, and those without access to air conditioning are at the greatest risk on days with high temperatures.
Drinking plenty of water and staying out of the sun are critical precautions.
People should also check on their neighbors who may be at high risk and ensure they have access to heat relief and hydration.
RELATED | Staying cool in extreme heat
"Summer is here, and so is the extreme heat," said Wake County Fire Services and Emergency Management Deputy Director Josh Creighton. "Keeping residents safe and healthy is one of Wake County's top priorities, and we encourage anyone who needs relief from the heat to take advantage of these opportunities."
Editor's note: This list will be expanded as we hear from Triangle cities that open cooling stations.