Extreme Heat Warning for Sammamish Community

UPDATE: Tuesday, June 29

The excessive heat warning for our area will be lifted tonight at 11:00 p.m. For this reason, the cooling station at City Hall does not need to open tomorrow (Wednesday, June 30) as the temperature high will be in the low 80s. We encourage everyone to still take precautions to stay cool and hydrated, and conserve water and energy as we experience a warmer than normal summer. If another weather alert is issued for our area in the future, please check back here for information and resources.

UPDATE: Monday, June 28

Sammamish City Hall lobby will open as a cooling station for residents during the upcoming heat wave. Even though City Hall remains closed while COVID restrictions are evaluated and in-person services are not available, the City has been working this week to make City Hall accessible to residents as a refuge from the heat.

Sammamish City Hall will open during these hours:
Sunday, June 27: 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Monday, June 28: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 29 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Seating, restrooms and water will be provided. If you do use the space, please remember to wear a mask and maintain safe distance.

Need help getting to City Hall?

The best option is Metro Route 269 (which is currently operating under a partial suspension due to COVID-19): https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/schedules-maps/route/269.aspx.

Community Ride is another option if it serves your area: https://connect.sammamish.us/mobility-hub#Ride.

Additional Cooling Station Options:

• Sammamish YMCA will open during regular business hours:
  Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
  Monday and Tuesday 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• Sammamish Presbyterian Church
  Sunday and Monday: 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• Issaquah Community Center
  Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• SeaTac Airport
• Snoqualmie Tribe Casino
• King County has also provided a list here that includes area malls, libraries, and theaters: https://kcemergency.com/2021/06/24/cooling-centers-in-king-county.

Please stay safe and cool, and look out for your neighbors.

ORIGINAL POST
Temperatures may reach the high 90s this weekend in Sammamish. Make sure to stay safe and take necessary precautions. Heat can create serious health problems. Usually the elderly, the very young, the sick and those without access to air conditioning are most severely affected by heat.

Symptoms of heat illness include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, nausea, weak but rapid pulse, and headaches. People with these symptoms should find shade, drink water slowly and make sure there is good ventilation.

If fluids are not replaced soon enough, heat stroke can follow causing extremely high body temperature, red and dry skin, rapid pulse, confusion, brain damage, loss of consciousness and death. To help a person showing severe symptoms, get the victim into shade, call for emergency medical services and start cooling the person immediately with cool water or by fanning.

Stay in an air-conditioned area, either at home or in a public place. This is the most effective way to combat heat. If air conditioning is not available, pull the shades over the windows and use cross-ventilation and fans to cool rooms.

A cool shower or bath also is an effective way to cool off. Limit the use of stoves and ovens to keep home temperatures lower. Children especially can quickly become dehydrated. They need to drink fluids frequently, especially water, and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes. Avoid drinks that are heavily sweetened or contain caffeine. Check on children often, especially if they are playing outside in high temperatures.

Heat Precautions

• Never leave people or pets in a closed, parked vehicle during hot weather, even for a short time
• Drink plenty of fluids but avoid drinks with caffeine or a lot of sugar
• Plan strenuous outdoor activity for early morning or evening when the temperature is lower
• Take frequent breaks when working outside
• Wear sun block, hats and light-colored, loose-fitting clothes
• Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible
• Check frequently on the elderly and those who are ill or may need help
• Check with a doctor about the effects of sun and heat when taking prescription drugs, especially diuretics or antihistamines
• At first signs of heat illness – dizziness, nausea, headaches, muscle cramps – move to a cooler place, rest a few minutes, then slowly drink a cool beverage, and seek medical attention immediately if conditions do not improve

Conserving Energy

It’s important to conserve energy while we are experiencing extreme heat to help prevent power outages. Please consider these important tips from Puget Sound Energy:

1. Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. For those with central air or air conditioning, PSE recommends no lower than 75 degrees. That might seem on the warm side, but customers can save up to 5 percent on their electric bill by taking that simple step.
2. Consider investing in a smart thermostat that will automatically adjust the indoor temperature while you’re away.
3. Use fans to help circulate the air. Remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room, so when you leave the room, make sure to turn off the fan.
4. Make sure to close window blinds and curtains to block direct sunlight. In the evening, open windows for cross ventilation.
5. Switch out any conventional light bulbs with LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs, which produce 70 percent less heat.
6. Run appliances – such as dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers – at night. A hot dishwasher sends heat throughout the house; run only on full loads and use the ‘no heat’ option for the drying cycle.
7. Consider cooking a later dinner or grilling outside to prevent any additional heat buildup.

For up-to-date information on the upcoming weather temps, visit the National Weather Service.