FOX19.com and FOX19 News, weather, traffic, and sports for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky | Heat emergency for Cincinnati this weekend

Heat emergency for Cincinnati this weekend

By Stefano DiPietrantonio – bio |email

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Cincinnati is under a heat emergency this weekend. There are roughly 26 rec centers across the city. They also double as cooling shelters in the summer and as cold shelters in the winter. The problem is, most of them are only open Monday through Friday 10am til 6pm. The ones with outdoor pools, like the rec center in Price Hill, will be open 12:30pm to 5:30pm.

Otherwise, this weekend the Health Department said there are other options. With blazing sunshine expected all weekend long, some folks will have to get creative about their cooling off.

Eddie Fairbanks lives in Over-The-Rhine and the pool at Republic Street is close to home and is an easy trip with his kids to cool off.

"Well, I'll have to take them to Mt. Healthy," Fairbanks said. "But sometimes I take them to this recreation center to go swimming."

But not on a weekend.

"Come swim," said Jincey Yemaya, the city's Aquatic Director. "Beat the heat, jump in, have some fun with people."

There are however, plenty of public outdoor pools open.

"We have 31 facilities, 4 spray grounds, 27 pools open from 1pm til 5:30pm for the pools, spray grounds are open from 10am to 8pm, spray grounds are free, pools only cost a dollar for the day," Yemaya said.

For some folks, travel will not be an option and with the cooling centers closed, the Health Department said there are other ways to play it safe this weekend.

"There's places in their house such as the basement they could go to cool off," said Rocky Merz, spokesperson for the Cincinnati Health Department. "You can get fans, you can go to churches, malls, public libraries, movie theaters."

And, if you have plans to work in the yard, Merz said try to do that in the early morning or early evening hours and not during peak sun.

"Maybe pull your child aside," Merz said. "Get them in some shade, have them drink some water, take a rest and make sure that they're recharged and ready to go."

The elderly and the very young are most at-risk to exposure, heat stroke and dehydration. Merz said we need to be aware of our bodies.

"Look out for those signs like dizziness, nausea, changes in color of your skin take those seriously," he said. "If the skin color gets to be a bright red, or reddish color, that's a symptom of heatstroke."

"Get out of the house, get out and play, but be safe and take precautions to keep yourself healthy," he said.

And the City's Aquatic Director said this Sunday is Kroger Family Fun Pool Day. At four locations, you can swim for free, get some snacks from 2 to 6pm. 

Copyright 2010 FOX19. All Rights Reserved.