The Camden County Health Officer has issued a Heat Alert today, June 17, and tomorrow, June 18, effective noon to 7 p.m. each day. Residents should contact their municipality for the location of their local cooling center. The latest weather forecast obtained by Camden County predicts the temperature will rise to near 93 and the heat index will hit 100 for the remainder of the week.
“When the Health Officer issues a Heat Alert, municipalities are notified that it would be appropriate to open municipal cooling centers to the public. Each municipality in Camden County has identified and is responsible for activating its own municipal cooling center,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services. “Please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors during the heat emergency and do not over exert yourself outdoors in the sun.”
To avoid heat-related illness, the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following:
- Avoid, as much as possible, working or playing in the hot sun or other hot areas. If you must be out in the sun, wear a head covering. A wide-brimmed hat or visor will not only protect your head from intense rays of the sun, it will also provide a shield for your eyes.
- Use air-conditioners and fans. Open windows to release trapped hot air.
- Those taking regular medication should consult with their physician. Some medications cause an adverse reaction in hot weather.
- Wear lightweight clothing.
- Drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids, warm and cool. Because the body loses fluids in the heat, drinking lots of liquids helps to avoid dehydration.
- Maintain a normal diet.
- Shower or bathe in water that is near skin temperature.
- Do not leave older people, children or pets alone in cars.
- The early warning signs of heat stress are decreased energy, slight loss of appetite, faintness, light-headedness and nausea. People experiencing these symptoms should go to a cool environment, drink liquids, remove excess clothing and rest.
“The excessive heat poses a public health risk that can be deadly to residents if they do not take the proper precautions,” Rodriguez said. “At this time we all need to pitch in to make sure no is overexposed to this heat wave. This means, as a community, we need to ensure everyone has access to cool areas and are properly hydrated.”
Serious signs of heat stress include unconsciousness, rapid heartbeat, throbbing headache, dry skin, chest pain, mental confusion, irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, staggering and difficulty breathing. People experiencing these symptoms should get to immediate medical attention. While waiting for help, move the person to a cool area, remove excess clothing, spray with water, and fan the person. In an emergency, dial 911.
LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED AS COOLING CENTERS IN CAMDEN COUNTY (Please check with your municipality for hours of operation)
AUDUBON BOROUGH
Senior Center, Oakland Avenue & Oak Street (Next to the Library)
AUDUBON PARK BOROUGH
Municipal Hall, 20 Road C
BARRINGTON BOROUGH
Senior Center, 229 Trenton Avenue
BELLMAWR BOROUGH
Bellmawr Community Center, 29 E. Browning Rd
BERLIN BOROUGH
Berlin Inter-Community Ambulance, 8 Park Avenue
BROOKLAWN BOROUGH
Community Center, Railroad Avenue
CAMDEN CITY
Cramer Hill Community Center, Reeves Avenue
Malandra Hall, New Jersey & Merrimac Road
Isabel Miller Community Center, 8th & Carl Miller Blvd
North Camden Community Center, 6th & Erie
Martin Luther King Community Center, 1151 Haddon Ave
Morgan Village Community Center, Morgan Blvd
Broadway Community Center, 713 Broadway
CHERRY HILL TOWNSHIP
Public Library, Kings Highway
Community Center, 820 Mercer Street
Cherry Hill Mall, Haddonfield Road
CLEMENTON BOROUGH
Clementon Library, 101 Gibbsboro Road
COLLINGSWOOD BOROUGH
Library, 771 Haddon Ave
Senior Center, 30 Collings Ave
Borough Hall, 678 Haddon Ave
Fire House, 20 W. Collings Ave
GIBBSBORO BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 49 Kirkwood Road
Senior Center, Rt. 561 (Behind Ice Arena)
GLOUCESTER CITY
Gloucester City Fire Dept., 1 N. King Street
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP
Hider Lane Senior Center, between Little Gloucester Road & Chews Landing Road
Municipal Building, Chews Landing Road
HADDON HEIGHTS BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 625 Station Ave
Haddon Heights Library, Station Ave
HADDON TOWNSHIP
Camden County Library, MacArthur Blvd
Father & Son Hall, Ormond Avenue
HADDONFIELD BOROUGH
Mabel Kay House, 24 Walnut Street (next to the Acme parking lot)
HI NELLA BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 200 Wykagyl Road
LAUREL SPRINGS BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 135 Broadway
LAWNSIDE BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 4 East Douglas Ave
Wayne Bryant Community Center, 323 E. Charleston Ave
LINDENWOLD BOROUGH
Lindenwold Community Bldg., White Horse Pike
MAGNOLIA BOROUGH
Borough Hall, 438 W. Evesham Road
MERCHANTVILLE BOROUGH
Community Center, Somerset & Greenleigh Court
MOUNT EPRHAIM BOROUGH
Borough Hall Court Room, 121 S. Black Horse Pike
OAKLYN BOROUGH
Oaklyn Library, Manheim & Newton Ave
Courthouse, 20 W. Clinton Ave
PENNSAUKEN BOROUGH
Pennsauken Library, Route 130 and Merchantville Ave
PINE HILL BOROUGH
Pine Hill Senior Citizens Center, 131 E. 12th Ave
Pine Hill Recreation Center, 45 West 7th Ave
RUNNEMEDE BOROUGH
Runnemede Fire Hall, 26 East 2nd Ave
Runnemede Senior Center, 3rd Ave and Irish Hill Road
SOMERDALE BOROUGH
Somerdale Borough Hall, 105 Kennedy Blvd
STRATFORD BOROUGH
Stratford Borough Hall, 307 Union Ave
VOORHEES TOWNSHIP
Echelon Mall, Laurel Road
Voorhees Community Center (behind the police station)
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP
Senior Citizen Community Center, East Atlantic Ave
Waterford Township Borough Hall, 2131 Auburn Ave
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP
Winslow Township Municipal Building, 125 South Route 73, Braddock
WOODLYNNE BOROUGH
Woodlynne Municipal Building, 200 Cooper Ave
