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Programs that provide air conditioned facilities which are open to the public during dangerously hot weather. Spending a few hours in an air-conditioned environment can bring down the body's core temperature and make it easier to handle the heat. Older and/or frail adults, homeless people, parents with small children and persons with health conditions that may be made worse by the weather should consider spending time in a cooling center, particularly between 1pm and 5pm when temperatures are at their highest. Cooling centers may also have water and other liquids available to protect against dehydration, and some allow pets.

Programs that provide access to air conditioned facilities, extend the hours during which public swimming pools and local spray grounds are open, activate street shower sites or take other steps to protect the public’s health during dangerously hot weather. Some communities operate hotlines that residents can call if they see people on the street who are in distress due to the heat so that vans can be dispatched to take victims to cooling centers or other places of shelter. At greatest risk during heat emergencies are older adults, young children, individuals with compromised immune systems and people who take certain types of medication. Existing health conditions such as chronic illness, hypertension, circulatory problems, and obesity can also heighten an individual’s vulnerability.