High temperatures and humidity can create dangerous conditions, and officials are urging residents to seek assistance at local cooling shelters if necessary.
Temperatures hit the upper 90s on Monday, cooled off into the 80s on Tuesday due to overnight showers, but the combination of heat and pollution on Wednesday could impact those with breathing issues. An Air Quality Action Day will be in effect on Wednesday due to elevated ozone levels. Ozone will be at unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. For more information, check out www.smogwatch.in.gov or www.airnow.gov and click on Indiana.
To cope with the heat, the National Weather Service advises to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
When headed outside, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing and limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Seek help when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Also, make sure all children and pets are out of any vehicle before locking it.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration is making it easy to find a cooling shelter in your community. Dial 2-1-1 or else 886-211-9966 to learn of a cooling shelter close to you. @in211 community navigators are available 24/7 and will provide you with the updated locations and hours of cooling centers in your area.
Lake County
Crown Point
The city will activate its shelter — First United Methodist Church, 352 S. Main St. — only if there’s both a heat wave and a massage power outage, spokeswoman Mary Freda-Flores said. If activated, Pastor Mark Wilkins said the building would be open 24/7 during the emergency period.
Dyer
The Dyer Police Station is open 24/7. The Dyer Town Hall, located at 1 Town Square, is available during business hours from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Gary
If the air temperature or heat index is above 89 degrees, shelter from the heat will be available at Calumet Township Multipurpose Center, 1900 W. 41st Avenue from 8 a.m. — 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Monroe Smith Warming and Cooling Center, located at 4101 Washington St., which will be open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Brothers’ Keeper, 2120 Broadway, will also be open as a cooling center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but it is only accessible for adults.
Griffith
The town does not have a cooling center that is open, but if there are any extensive power outages or emergencies in town, the North Fire Station will be open and available to our citizens. The station is located at 1601 N. Indiana St. If someone is having difficulty, they can go to the police station lobby, located at 115 N. Broad St., and make a request for assistance or dial 911 in an emergency.
Hammond
All park department buildings will be open during regular operating hours for people to cool off, the city announced in a press release Tuesday.
Highland
Residents can use the Lincoln Community Center, 2450 Lincoln Street, to cool off from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Clerk-Treasurer Mark Herak said.
Hobart
City of Hobart cooling centers are open this week from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the PCC meeting room & Firehouse 2 community room, located at 2301-2411 W. Old Ridge Rd. The lobby of the Hobart Police Station, 705 E. 4th St., will be open as well. The Maria Reiner Center, located at 705 E. 4th St., is open to all Hobart citizens over the age of 55, and the Hobart Public Library, located at 100 Main St., has regular hours and programs for all ages.
Schererville
Community Room at Town Hall, 10 E Joliet St, Schererville, IN 46375
St. John
Any public building, including the Town Hall is available during business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Town Hall’s address is 10955 W. 93rd Ave. The Police Station, located at 11033 W 93rd Ave., is available after hours.
Porter County
All of the locations in the Porter County Public Library system serve as cooling centers during regular business hours. The branches are in Hebron, Kouts, Portage, South Haven and Valparaiso. For more information on branch hours and locations, go to https://pcpls.org/.
Chesterton
If you live in Duneland and have need to escape the heat over the next few days — if your A/C fails or you don’t have A/C at all — feel free to avail yourself of the meeting room in the Chesterton Town Hall, 726 Broadway, which will remain open to the public around the clock through Saturday.
Valparaiso
Valparaiso YMCA, located at 1202 Cumberland Crossing, will be open from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday.
Porter County Public Library, Valparaiso Branch, which is located at 103 Jefferson St., will be open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
Housing Opportunities, located at 2001 Calumet Ave., will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, the Valparaiso Police Department offers a special program for individuals who may need special help during weather emergencies. The Contact Assistance Referral (CARE) Program means the VPD will check on residents during harsh weather. To register yourself or a loved one for CARE, contact Social Worker Natalie Kasberger at nkasberger@valpopd.com or (219) 462-2135.
Shelley Jones, Michelle L. Quinn, Carole Carlson, Jim Masters, Doug Ross and Amy Lavalley contributed.
