Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue offers shelter during 'dangerous' heat wave

As more people seek relief from the heatwave in western Washington, more places are offering a safe space for them. 

The Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue will offer two hot weather shelters. Fire Station 31 in Monroe and Fire Station 71 in Snohomish will be available for those needing air conditioning and water to help cool off.

"In this heat and no air conditioning, it’s kind of hard to just get comfortable. And so, we wanted to provide a place for our community to come and get comfortable," said Deputy Chief Scott Dorsey.

The deputy chief said it’s important not to underestimate the dangers of this record heat. Even if exposure time is short, Dorsey said people can still be at risk of heat-related illness.

"Just be mindful of your health, how you’re feeling. And if you start feeling poorly do something about it before it’s too late. That’s probably the thing that most people take for granted," said Dorsey.

Washington State Department of Health said heat exhaustion is one of the most common illnesses in this kind of weather. Symptoms to watch out for include excessive sweating, pale clammy skin, fast pulse and nausea. Health officers also want people to be aware of the signs of heatstroke. This could be high body temperature above 103 degrees, hot red skin, headache, confusion and loss of consciousness.

"Our call volumes are definitely up. More medical calls as you would expect," said Dorsey.

DOH encouraged everyone to drink plenty of water throughout the day, use a cool cloth or cold bath to help reduce any symptoms. If symptoms last longer than one hour, people are encouraged to get medical help.

"We can wind up getting ourselves further down the road in trouble before we recognize oh something’s off. So, that’s why a little bit more proactive approach is better," said Dorsey.

Both hot weather shelters at Station 31 and Station 71 are open Sunday and Monday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

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