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beat the heat

Anaheim has great weather with days of sunshine and mild temperatures all year round. But, with that, comes summer heat waves that can bring temperatures to 100 or higher.

Preparing for heat waves should be part of our household planning to keep you and your loved ones safe. 

We plan for extreme heat and will formally open designated cooling centers if we reach three days or more of 100 degree or higher temperatures.

Even if we don't reach that threshold, there are libraries and community centers open every day and serve as cool, indoor spaces. You can also enjoy everything our libraries and community centers offer!

Here are some basic steps and resources to help keep cool.

Outdoors

  • Drink water early: 16 ounces of water before heat peaks
  • Drink more than usual while outdoors, about 8 ounces every 20 minutes or so
  • Pace yourself and do less than usual in high heat
  • Limit outdoor activities to early in the morning or later in the evening
  • Wear light colors and loose fitting clothes
  • Seek shade regularly

At home with ACthermostat

  • On hot days, cool your home early in the day to manage outside heat and indoor cooling as the day goes on
  • Close window coverings to keep heat out
  • Keep rooms as dark as able to keep cool
  • Use fans to help circulate cool air from vents
  • Unplug unneeded electronics that generate heat
  • Don't use your oven on the hottest days; use a microwave or barbecue instead
  • If you must use your oven, use the exhaust fan to take heat out of your home 
  • Be sure to use exhaust fans in bathrooms after showers to take steam heat out of your home
  • To conserve energy, put off using appliances where possible in the late afternoon, when power demand is highest
  • Put off trimming shade trees until fall

At home without AC

fan in home

  • Use fans to circulate air around your house
  • If possible, position one fan in front of a window to bring in outside air
  • Position another fan in front of another window blowing out to create ventilation 
  • Put a bowl of ice in front of a fan for temporary cooling
  • Consider freezing water in a pan, bowl or other container for use later in front of a fan
  • Cover windows to keep out the sun's heat
  • Drink plenty of water and liquids
  • Unplug unused electronics that generate heat
  • Don't use your oven during extreme heat; use a microwave
  • Put a cold, damp towel around your neck for short-term relief
  • If it gets too hot inside, consider going to a library, community center or even a shady park for a while

 Living in HomelessnessCCRT 1 edit

  • Call our social workers at the Community Care Response Team (714) 820-9090 to get into shelter and on a path out of homelessness
  • Drink plenty of water and hydrating fluids
  • Seek areas with shade
  • Minimize activity during the hottest part of the day
  • Visit a cooling center or shady park for relief

Know the signs

Heat stroke and other impacts can occur when you get too hot. The warning signs:

  • Dry, hot, red skin
  • It’s really hot, but you’re not sweating
  • Rapid pulse
  • Confusion
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Cramps
  • Sweating beyond normal for a hot day

Get cool

Anaheim’s parks are always great to visit, and during heat waves they also serve as places to get cool with plenty of shade.

PARKS

parks

Click here for a list of Anaheim’s parks.

Our community centers and libraries are also open as cooling centers, and here's a list of locations and hours.

LIBRARIES librariesCentral Library 
500 W. Broadway
(714) 765-1880
Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: noon to 6 p.m. 

Canyon Hills Branch Library
400 Scout Trail
(714) 765-6444
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: closed 

East Anaheim Branch 
8201 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road
(714) 765-3887
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: closed
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Euclid Branch 
1340 S. Euclid St.
(714) 765-3625
Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
Saturday and Sunday: closed

Haskett Branch 
2650 W. Broadway
(714) 765-5075
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Ponderosa Joint-Use Branch
240 E. Orangewood Ave.
(714) 740-0202
Monday-Thursday: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunkist Branch
901 S. Sunkist
(714) 765-3576
Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: closed 

COMMUNITY CENTERScommunity centerBrookhurst Community Center 
2271 W. Crescent Ave.
(714) 765-3373
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Anaheim Community Center
250 E. Center St.
(714) 765-4510
Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

East Anaheim Community Center
8201 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road
(714) 765-3904
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: available for private rentals

West Anaheim Youth Center
320 S. Beach Blvd.
(714) 765-6400
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The following centers have limited parking and capacity, but are open during normal business hours

other community centers

Miraloma Park Family Resource Center
2600 E. Miraloma Way
(714) 765-6490
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ponderosa Park Family Resource Center
320 E. Orangewood Ave.
Monday-Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: closed