LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — About half of respondents in the Desert Research Institute’s Nevada Heat Lab survey on cooling stations said they did not know the sites existed, according to the survey of 489 people.
The Green Valley Public Library in Henderson, located at Sunset and Green Valley, is one of dozens of cooling stations activated across the Las Vegas Valley when temperatures rise. The site offers bottled water, Gatorade, flip flops, toothpaste, toothbrushes and even hygiene products for women.
“All of it’s free. We don’t charge,” said Markita Dawson, Adult Programming Coordinator for Henderson Libraries. Dawson said people only need to ask for the items at the customer service desk.
MORE ON FOX5: Clark County extends cooling station activations in Las Vegas area as extreme heat risk continues
Transportation barrier addressed with free bus passes
The survey also identified transportation as a barrier to accessing cooling stations. The Green Valley Public Library offers free bus passes to help address that gap.
“So, anybody can access it. All they have to do is just go to the customer service desk. We don’t ask any questions. We give them the bus card, and we sign it out and then they’re able to go to other cooling stations. Sometimes they need to go to other areas of the city if they’re unable to get any type of transportation,” Dawson said.
The pass is good for 24 hours.
Visitors unaware of available resources
During a visit to the library, one person who was charging his phone inside, did not know he was in a cooling station. FOX5 gave him a list of other cooling station locations. A woman who said she lost her job and her housing and now sleeps in an abandoned car said she planned to stay at the library for hours.
Timothy Harold said he passed out from the heat Thursday and was taken to the hospital. A day after being treated and released, he went to the Green Valley Public Library.
“I think it’s pretty awesome,” said Harold.
Other Henderson libraries listed as cooling stations
Dawson says other Henderson libraries offer similar services.
A list of cooling stations in Clark County can be found here: cooling-stations-english.pdf
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