NEW ORLEANS — Thursday was the hottest day our area has seen in over seven years. New Orleans International topped out at 100 degrees with a heat index of 119 degrees. Today looks similar with a high near 100 degrees and feel like temperatures over 115 degrees. Use caution if outdoors. Unlike yesterday we probably won't see any cooler showers or t-storms.
As of June 29, the following locations will be available to the public over the weekend:
- All New Orleans Public Library locations are open Friday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., except for Rosa Keller Library and Milton Latter Library due to facility maintenance
- Arthur Monday Community Center is open Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (1111 Newton St., Suite 101)
- Carrollton-Hollygrove Senior Center is open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (3300 Hamilton St.)
- Algiers Courthouse is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. (225 Morgan St., Room 209)
- Louisiana SPCA is open Monday - Saturday, 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. (1700 Mardi Gras Blvd.)
- OHL Sobering Center is open 24/7 (732 N. Claiborne Ave.)
- New Orleans East Opportunity Center is open Friday, June 30, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (12000 Hayne Blvd.)
- VOTE Headquarters is open Friday, June 30 - Monday, July 3, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (4930 Washington Ave., Suite A)
NORDC Aquatics will be open Friday, June 30 from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, July 1 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. as follows:
- Sanchez Center Pool, 1616 Fats Domino Ave.
- Stallings Gentilly Pool, 2700 Lapeyrouse St.
- Treme Pool, 900 N. Villere St.
- Lyons Pool, 624 Louisiana Ave.
- Federal City Pool on Naval Base, 2220 Constitution St.
- Rosenwald Pool, 1120 N. Broad St.
- Pradat Pool, 7200 Dreux Ave.
- Joe Brown Pool, 5620 Read Blvd.
NORDC locations are open as follows:
- On Friday, June 30, location hours vary
- Rosenwald “Annex” Senior Building is open Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (1120 S. Broad St.)
- NORD Annunciation Center is open Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (800 Race St.)
- Desire-Florida Multi-Purpose Recreation Center is open Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (3250 Industry St.)
- On Saturday, July 1, locations are open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Rosenwald Recreation Center, 1120 S. Broad St.
- Lyons Recreation Center, 624 Louisiana Ave.
- Stallings Recreation Center, 4300 St. Claude Ave.
- Gernon Brown Recreation Center, 1001 Harrison Ave.
- Morris FX Jeff Park, 2529 General Meyer Ave.
- Sunday, July 2, locations are open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Rosenwald Recreation Center, 1120 S. Broad St.
- Milne Recreation Center, 5420 Franklin Ave.
- Cutoff Recreation Center, 6600 Belgrade St.
- Joe Brown Recreation Center, 5620 Read Blvd.
The cooling sites will be in place for anyone who needs them. With us being no strangers to the heat here in Southeast Louisiana, doctors still want everyone to be cautious. Dr. Charles Muntan is an emergency medical physician at Lakeview Hospital, says everyone is at risk when it comes to excessive heat but there are a few groups that are even more at risk.
"The elderly and young children are vulnerable in the heat, but anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease those are the three categories that we worry about. You just need to be really careful if they are going to be in the heat," said Dr. Muntan.
While Muntan said he does not get too many patients who have progressed with passed heat exhaustion and are experiencing symptoms of heat stroke, both are preventable and can be life-threatening.
Dr. Muntan said, "Typically don't see heatstroke, but we see heat exhaustion pretty frequently, especially those that are working outside. Heat exhaustion is when you have nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, a headache might have some muscle cramps. You obviously start feeling bad, you know something's not quite right. When you progress to confusion, seizures or you might even pass out then we're getting into the heatstroke category."
Muntan says you should always wear sunscreen. He said it's nonnegotiable, especially with excessive heat. He recommends drinking tons of fluids. Water when you are out in the heat, but even the day before, to make sure that your body is in the best position to function if you do have to be out. He urges everyone to take this seriously because, according to the CDC, on average, 702 people die every year due to the heat, and over 67,000 hospital visits a year.
"The biggest thing I think, is making sure they're smart about protecting themselves from the sun. So, putting sunscreen on, a hat, and sunglasses. It's 100% preventable so you just need to be smart of you are going to go out in the heat," Dr. Muntan said.