Heat Safety
Staying safe through the Valley’s hottest months.
Triple-digit summers are part of life here. So is taking care of each other. This page collects the cooling centers, utility help, and check-in resources our community uses every summer.
If someone shows these signs, call 911 immediately.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. The longer it takes to cool someone down, the more damage it can do.
- Body temperature over 103°F
- Confusion, slurred speech, or unconsciousness
- Hot, dry skin (no sweat) or heavy sweating with weakness
- Fast pulse, throbbing headache, nausea or vomiting
Simple habits that prevent heat stroke.
- Drink water before you feel thirsty. Aim for a glass every hour.
- Close blinds and curtains during the hottest hours (11 AM to 6 PM).
- Use fans to move air, but do not rely on fans alone above 95°F.
- Take cool showers or place cool cloths on your wrists, neck, and ankles.
- Skip heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine during peak heat.
- Never leave anyone, child, adult, or pet, in a parked car.
- Check on neighbors, especially older adults living alone, at least once a day.
Cooling centers open across the Valley during heat advisories.
Locations and hours change with each heat event. Call ahead to confirm.
County Cooling Center hotline
Library branches, senior centers, and city halls open as cooling sites during declared heat events. Call for the active list.
(442) 265-1444
Senior centers
El Centro, Brawley, and Calexico senior centers are reliable air-conditioned destinations during open hours. Lunch may be available too, ask about congregate meals.
Libraries
Every Imperial County Free Library branch is air-conditioned and open to the public. Find your branch at library.imperialcountyfree.com.
If summer drove your electric bill up, you have options.
Don’t wait until shutoff, assistance is much easier to get before that point.
LIHEAP / Campesinos Unidos
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Local intake through Campesinos Unidos.
(760) 344-4500
IID Energy Assistance
Imperial Irrigation District offers payment arrangements and the REACH program for customers in crisis. Apply through IID customer service.
Salvation Army emergency help
Limited emergency utility assistance may be available depending on funding.
(760) 352-4528
One phone call can save a life.
Older adults can be at greater risk during heat events, they may not feel the heat as quickly, may take medications that affect hydration, or may not turn on the AC because of the cost. A daily phone call or in-person check matters.
Local places to call.
Tap any phone number to call directly. Every listing is sourced from the organization’s own site or a primary local source.
Imperial County Public Health — Heat Response
Coordinates cooling and hydration centers during heat events.
- Phone
- (442) 265-1888
- Web
- icphd.org
- Address
- 935 Broadway, El Centro, CA 92243
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Serves
- All county residents, especially seniors and outdoor workers
- Services
- Cooling-center list, heat alerts, vulnerable-population outreach.
- Cost
- Free
- Languages
- English, Spanish
IID Outage & Emergency Line
Imperial Irrigation District 24-hour outage reporting.
- Phone
- (800) 303-7756
- Web
- iid.com
- Address
- 333 E. Barioni Blvd., Imperial, CA 92251
- Hours
- 24/7 outage line
- Serves
- IID electric customers
- Services
- Outage reporting, energy emergency assistance, status updates.
- Cost
- Free
- Languages
- English, Spanish
2-1-1 Imperial
Information & referral for any need, 24/7.
- Phone
- 2-1-1
- Web
- 211imperial.org
- Address
- Phone/text-based
- Hours
- 24/7
- Serves
- All county residents
- Services
- Disaster info, shelters, food, utility help, health and housing referrals.
- Cost
- Free
- Languages
- English, Spanish, 150+ via line
Imperial County Office of Emergency Services
County emergency operations and disaster planning.
- Phone
- (442) 265-6000
- Address
- 1078 Dogwood Road, Heber, CA 92249
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Serves
- All Imperial County residents
- Services
- Emergency planning, EOC activation, evacuation coordination.
- Cost
- Free
- Languages
- English, Spanish
Not sure where to start?
One call. We help you find the right cool place, sign up for utility help, or arrange a check-in.
Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM