Cooling Centers Open in Clawson on Another Dangerously Hot Day

All around Clawson people are staying indoors in the air conditioning or seeking shade if they do venture outside as Wednesday’s heat reaches near record levels for the second day in a row.  

“I came to the senior center to eat in a cool environment and then I’m going home to go in my pool,” said Royal Oak resident Tom Henderson who enjoyed a special Father's Day lunch at the .

The center, located in the , is open as a cooling center for anyone who needs a place to escape the heat. “They even had banana split sundaes for dessert for us, too,” Henderson said.

Temperatures were expected to peak in the mid-90s this afternoon and cool down to just the low 70s tonight.

“We tried to make the heat a consideration in our lunch menu,” explained Senior Center Dispatcher Dorothy Mucci. “The center was also loaded with people looking for a cool spot and a good lunch.”

Mucci said the Senior Center will be open until 7:30 p.m. and that anyone is welcome to come to the air-conditioned building and enjoy their books, pinball machine and other activities.

Outside the community center, Maryann Watkins and Teresa Rodriquez ate lunch under the shade of tree with two children who were enrolled in summer school inside the center.

“There are usually a lot of people outside eating, but today we are the only crazy ones out here eating,” Watkins said.

Another place to beat the heat in Clawson is the , which is open until 8 p.m. Wednesday. Library Director Elizabeth Gulick said she has seen more people than usual come to the library in the past two days.

“My impression is we usually see more people come in to where it’s cool,” she said. “I also see people sit and stay a bit longer than when it isn’t so hot outside.”

Ozone Action Day

With the sky-rocketing temperatures, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality declared an Ozone Action Day for much of Metro Detroit including Clawson because of elevated levels of ozone particles that could be dangerous to seniors, children and other at-risk groups.

Ozone Action Days also mean that people and businesses are asked to limit certain activities that contribute ozone pollutants like fueling your car and using gasoline powered lawn equipment, and encourage other activities like biking and carpooling around town.

Hot weather safety tips

• and be careful of hot seatbelts and car seats. 
• and other non-carbonated beverages. 
• and stay in the air conditioning or out of the sun as much as possible.  
• and limit long walks or hard play sessions.