NEW YORK (PIX11) — The New York City Emergency Management Department issued an extreme heat alert as temperatures are expected to climb throughout the week.
Hundreds of cooling centers across the boroughs will open beginning Wednesday.
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The city is also extending hours at its Olympic-sized and intermediate-sized outdoor pools. From Wednesday through Saturday, those pools will remain open until 8 p.m., for an additional hour to cool off.
Public transportation can offer relief from the heat when air conditioning is working. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is conducting inspections of subway trains and buses before they enter service to ensure cooling systems are functioning.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said inspections are underway and will continue throughout the week as part of the agency’s hot weather preparedness plan. In addition to checking air conditioning systems, crews are monitoring tracks and other infrastructure that can be affected by extreme temperatures.
Last summer, transit crews used digital thermometers to check temperatures inside subway cars at locations throughout the system. The agency aims to keep interior temperatures in the 70-degree range whenever possible.
Air conditioning performance varies across the subway system, with newer trains generally providing more reliable cooling. The No. 1 line has experienced more air conditioning issues than many other lines, according to the MTA.
The number of hot car reports has been on the decline for the past few years. Riders who encounter a hot subway car or bus are encouraged to report it by calling 511 and providing the vehicle or car number to help the MTA identify and address the problem.
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