Long Beach health officials issued a heat alert Tuesday as temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity were expected to push the heat index as high as 117 degrees through Thursday.
City Health Officer Dr. Cliff Okada urged residents to take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses, particularly during peak heat hours.
“Additionally, elevated heat index temperatures are expected to continue through the evening hours, with humidity making it feel as hot as 80 degrees or higher past 9 p.m. on multiple days, providing limited relief from the heat,” according to a statement from the city.
Older adults, people with chronic illnesses, infants and young children are at greater risk of heat-related illnesses, though anyone can be affected, officials said.
Residents were urged to drink plenty of fluids, avoid strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day and remain in air-conditioned spaces between noon and 6 p.m. when possible.
Officials also encouraged residents to check on home-bound friends, family members and neighbors during the heat wave.
Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine community centers and Long Beach Public Library locations are serving as cooling centers during normal business hours. Residents were advised to contact individual locations in advance to confirm they are open.
The Long Beach Multi-Service Center will also operate extended hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Thursday, although case management services will be available only until 4 p.m.
Health officials said residents should seek immediate medical attention if a person’s temperature reaches 103 degrees or higher, if someone loses consciousness or develops a fast, strong pulse, or if symptoms persist for more than an hour or worsen.
Other signs of heat-related illness can include heavy sweating, cold or clammy skin, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache and confusion.
The city also warned that extreme heat can contribute to power outages and increase the risk of foodborne illness if refrigerated food cannot be kept cold.
Officials advised residents to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during an outage. Perishable food that has been above 40 degrees for two hours or longer should be discarded, and refrigerated meat, fish, milk and leftovers should be thrown away after four hours without power or another cold source.
Residents were also reminded never to leave children or pets in parked vehicles and to provide pets with shade and water.
More information about cooling centers and heat precautions is available at longbeach.gov/extremeheat.