High Heat

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Coping with High-Heat Days

West Hollywood is no stranger to warm weather, but our weather is changing—including more dangerously hot days. Heat is the deadliest weather event in the U.S., and extreme heat days in West Hollywood are projected to increase by 15 days annually by mid-century and by 20 days by the late century.

Extreme heat can cause serious physical and mental health risks. The risk for heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke, increases for children, pregnant people, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and older adults, among others. Our risk for heat-related illness depends a lot on where we live, work, and play. For example, heat poses an additional challenge for community members who may not have access to air conditioning.

Look out for each other, especially high-risk populations! Reach out to those that live alone, have trouble leaving the house, or are at risk of heat-related illness to make sure they are okay.

The City of West Hollywood is working to help protect community members from extreme heat exposure. The City’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan incorporates strategies to mitigate and adapt to extreme heat, such as street trees, bus stop canopies, other shade structures, cooler surfaces, and encouraging low-carbon cooling options. For more information, visit the City's Climate Action & Sus tainability page. Get more tips to stay safe on hot days here.

Where to stay cool around the City of West Hollywood:

Plummer Park’s Senior Lounge(7377 Santa Monica Blvd)
- The City’s Cooling Center is open during periods of extreme heat (above 90 degrees).
- For more information regarding the City of West Hollywood’s cooling center, please call (323) 848-6530.
West Hollywood Library (625 N. San Vicente Blvd) – Cooling Center operated by LA County
Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library (7140 W. Sunset Blvd) – Cooling Center operated by LA County
West Hollywood Aquatics & Recreation Center (ARC) (8750 El Tovar Pl) - community members can visit the pool to get relief from the heat. For more information, please visit the ARC webpage.

The City provides free transportation to Plummer Park through its Cityline service. Cityline is a friendly and accessible alternative to the larger bus system and all shuttles are ADA-accessible. Cityline operates Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and shuttles arrive approximately every 30 minutes. For additional information and a detailed route map, visit www.weho.org/cityline.

To view the above map in your browser, click here.

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Social Services and Mental Health

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Taking care of your well-being during high-heat days means taking care of both your physical AND mental health. Extreme heat can add to the burden of everyday stress and can affect your mental health.

For mental health assistance, visit DMH.LACounty.gov or call 800-854-7771.
To find out about social services resources and transportation programs in the City of West Hollywood, view the Social Services Guide.

Stay Notified:

Sign up for the Alert LA County emergency notification system for weather alerts.
Occasionally hot weather adds strain to the power grid. To learn about any planned Flex Alerts, West Hollywood community members can call Southern California Edison at 800-611-1911 or log on to www.sce.com.
Learn more about what to do should a power outage occur by visiting www.ready.lacounty.gov/power-outage/

Tips for Hot Weather

Learn how to protect yourself and your community from extreme heat with tips for staying cool.

If you feel symptoms of severe dehydration or heat cramps, such as dizziness, fatigue, faintness, headaches, muscle cramps, and increased thirst, call 911.

Cooling Down Indoors

Stay indoors in an air-conditioned environment, especially older adults. If your home or apartment is not air conditioned, consider going outside to a private shady area that has a breeze, such as a patio or courtyard.
If your home is too hot or you don’t have access to air conditioning, go to a cool space such as a library or community center.
If you don’t have air conditioning at home, use a fan with a window open to bring in cooler air and use your stove and oven less to avoid heating your home. You can also use cool compresses, misting, showers and baths to cool down your body temperature.
Remember to check on neighbors, family, and friends — especially older adults and people with health conditions — to make sure they are well. Take them extra water or a cool beverage!
Keep air conditioners set to 78 degrees or set fans to cool.
Close blinds and drapes to block out direct heat.
Use major appliances in the early morning or after 7 p.m., when energy demand is lower.
Turn off lights, air conditioners, computers, televisions, and other electronics when not in use.

Cooling Your Commute

When out for essential needs such as groceries or medications, never leave anyone unattended in a closed vehicle, including pets! For more pet care tips visit www.animalcare.lacounty.gov.
If you start feeling dizzy while on public transit, site down, drink water, and ask for help from those around you. If you see anyone else looking unwell, offer your seat to them.
If you travel by bike or foot, wear sunscreen and a hat, loose and light-colored clothing, and bring water with you to stay hydrated. If possible, commute at cooler hours of the day.

Avoid strenuous activity and stay mindful of physical signs of dehydration:

If you have heart disease, asthma, or other lung disease, avoid strenuous activity to reduce heat-related illness.
Symptoms of dehydration and heat cramps include dizziness, fatigue, faintness, headaches, muscle cramps and increased thirst.
Wear light, loose-fitting clothing.
Drink water often. Do not wait until you are thirsty.
If you are sweating a lot, replace the electrolytes that you lost (for example, drinking a sports drink).
Avoid or reduce unnecessary exertion or vigorous exercise.
When out for essential needs, seek shady spots; wear a hat, preferably with a wide brim and use plenty of sunscreen.

Keep Your Pets Safe in the Heat

Give your pets plenty of fresh, clean water.
Keep your pets indoors or make sure they have a shady place to rest when they are outside.
Keep your walks short. Avoid walks during the hottest time of the day.
Your dog’s body can heat up quickly and their paw pads can burn easily on hot sidewalks. Be careful not to over-exercise them.
Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting, drooling, and heavy or rapid breathing.
If you think your pet is overheating, get them to a cooler place quickly. Use cold water, ice packs, or wet towels to cool them down. Take them to the vet.
Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle, not even for a minute. Cars heat up dangerously fast. On an 85 degree day, the inside of your car can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes.
If you see a pet in a car alone, notify nearby businesses to make announcements, or call 911 for assistance.

Keep Your Children Safe in the Heat

Assistance for Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Utility Bills

Home Energy Efficiency- Update your home to help lower energy bills:

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) programs: Weatherize and make your home more energy efficient (for low-income homeowners and renters that qualify).
Southern California Edison’s Energy Savings Assistance Program: Income-qualified customers may be eligible to receive energy-efficient appliances at no charge or a minimal charge.
Energy Star Rebate Finder: Find rebates and offers by your zip code on Energy Star products, including split system heat pumps and central and ductless air conditioning systems.
The Switch is On Incentive Finder: Search incentives and programs for space cooling.

Utility Assistance- Get help paying energy bills.

Southern California Edison Discount Rates: California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) reduces energy bills for eligible customers by about 30%. Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) reduces electric bills for qualified households by 18%. Both programs have the same application and only take 2 minutes to sign up with no additional documentation required.
Southern California Edison One-Time Bill Assistance: SCE works with United Way and over 80 community-based organizations, which help qualified customers apply for assistance.
Medical Baseline Allowance: This program provides an additional kWh of electricity per day at the lowest baseline rate to help offset the cost of operating medical equipment. For other SCE Assistance Programs, visit www.sce.com/residential/assistance
Clean Power Alliance’s Power Response Program: Customers with smart thermostats or battery energy storage systems are given financial incentives for modifying their energy equipment use during times of peak energy demand.
SoCalGas California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE): Receive a 20 % discount on your natural gas bill if you qualify.
SoCalGas Past Due Bill Forgiveness: See if you qualify for Arrearage Management Plan
SoCalGas Assistance Fund: Receive a one-time grant of up to $100.