Cooling centers are open across Brooklyn as unseasonably warm weather roasts New York City.
Temperatures in the city are expected to rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit on both Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20. High humidity will drive the heat index as high as 99 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service, and a heat advisory is in effect through 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Emergency Management on Monday activated the city’s heat emergency plan, which includes opening cooling centers, ramping up outreach to vulnerable populations and coordinating with utilities and healthcare providers.
“Just as New Yorkers look out for one another through the coldest days of winter, we must do the same through the hottest days of the year,” Mamdani said, in a statement. “City workers will be out across all five boroughs welcoming neighbors to cooling centers and helping our neighbors stay safe in extreme heat. I urge every New Yorker to plan ahead, stay hydrated, check in on loved ones and take this heat seriously.”
Mamdani (second from right) and OEM Commisioner Christina Farrell (third from right) at a press conference earlier this year. Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
Officials said that most heat-related deaths are caused by long periods indoors without air conditioning, and the NWS agrees that homes without air conditioners “can be much hotter than outdoor temperatures.”
NYCEM Commisioner Christina Farrell warned that New Yorkers may not be prepared for such dangerously hot weather so early in the year — temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday will hover around 30 degrees above average — and she encouraged residents to stay indoors, check on their neighbors, and subscribe to the city’s updates via NotifyNYC.
Seniors and people with chronic health conditions are most vulnerable to heat-related illness and death, per the NWS.
“The best way to prevent heat-related illness is to remain in a cool, air-conditioned environment — a fan alone isn’t enough,” said Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. “If you do plan to be outside, stay in the shade, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks as needed. Pay attention to your body and watch for signs of heat stroke, such as difficulty breathing or a rapid heartbeat. I want all New Yorkers to enjoy themselves safely.”
Cooling Centers are open across New York City. File photo by Gabriele Holtermann
The Department of Homeless Services has issued a Code Red, opening shelters to anyone “reasonably believed to be homeless.” Outreach teams will be dispatched to offer shelter and resources like water and other supplies to those in need, and New Yorkers who see someone homeless and in need of help can call 311 to have a team dispatched.
An air quality alert is in effect until Tuesday night, too, with the Air Quality Index hovering around 100, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” due to high levels of ground-level ozone.
Sensitive New Yorkers — including older adults, children and teens, people with lung diseases and asthma, or people who spend more than six hours a day outside — are encouraged to stay indoors or at least cut down on time spent outdoors while air quality is poor.
Find a Cooling Center near you
Cooling Centers are open across the city on Tuesday and Wednesday, offering free, air-conditioned space to anyone in need. Many Brooklyn Public Library locations are cooling centers, though patrons are encouraged to call their local branch to confirm before heading over.
Some NYC Health+Hospitals locations — like South Brooklyn Health and Kings County — are also open until the early afternoon. Though pools and beaches are not yet open for the season, spray showers should be on and operational at parks and playgrounds. Use Cool It! NYC to find outdoor spray showers and water fountains near you.
A map of active cooling centers in Brooklyn. The centers are open Tuesday, May 19-Wednesday, May 20. Image courtesy of NYC Cool Options
Brooklyn Paper has assembled a list of some of Brooklyn’s cooling centers below, with addresses, operating hours and phone numbers. Some centers are open to seniors only.
A full list of cooling centers is available online at NYC Cool Options. Use the search function or the map to find a cooling center near you, and remember that locations and hours are subject to change. If possible, call ahead before heading out.
Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Fort Greene and Brooklyn Heights
Polish & Slavic Senior Center, 176 Java St., Greenpoint. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Older adults only. (718) 383-3434.
CCNS Northside Older Adult Center, 179 North 6th St., Williamsburg. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Older adults only. (718) 387-2316.
St. Nicks Alliance Swinging Sixties Older Adult Center. 211 Ainslie St., Williamsburg. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 963-3793.
Willoughby Older Adult Center, 105 N. Portland Ave., Fort Greene, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Older adults only. (718) 875-1011.
St. Charles Jubilee Older Adult Center, 55 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn Heights. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 855-0326.
Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights & Prospect Heights
Office of state Sen. Julia Salazar, 212 Evergreen Ave., Bushwick. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Saratoga Square Senior Center, 930 Halsey Ave., Bushwick, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (347) 425-0676.
Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center, 670 Lafayette Ave., Bed-Stuy, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (718) 622-2082.
Stuyvesant Heights Older Adult Center, 562 Madison St., Bed-Stuy, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Older adults only. (718) 230-0824.
Weeksville Heritage Center, 158 Buffalo Ave., Crown Heights, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (718) 756-5250.
Brooklyn Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (718) 230-2100.
Red Hook, Sunset Park, Park Slope
Red Hook Older Adult Center, 120 West 9th St., Red Hook, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (917) 769-7518
Office of Council Member Alexa Avilés, 4417 4th Ave., Sunset Park. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (718) 439-9012.
CPC Brooklyn Older Adult Center, Sunset Park. 4101 8th Ave., Sunset Park. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (917) 922-8382.
Park Slope Center for Successful Aging, 436A 7th St., Park Slope. 8 a.m.-4 p.m (718) 832-3726.
Flatbush, East Flatbush, East New York & Brownsville
Christopher Blenman Older Adult Center, 720 East New York Ave., Flatbush. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (718) 773-7400.
Remsen Sarita Jean Older Adult Center, 3304 Clarendon Road, East Flatbush. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (718) 282-1259.
Wayside Out Langston Hughes Senior Center, 301 Sutter Ave., Brownsville. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Older adults only. (917) 962-8277.
Brownsville Corps Community Center, 280 Riverdale Ave., Brownsville. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 345-7050.
Teresa Moore Older Adult Center, 2702 Linden Boulevard, East New York. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Older adults only. (347) 663-7770.
Petco Gateway Brooklyn, 528 Gateway Drive, East New York. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (718) 647-2604.
Borough Park, Midwood, Bensonhurst, Sheepshead Bay & Coney Island
AMICO 59th St. Senior Center, 5901 13th Ave., Borough Park. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (718) 972-1558.
Bay Ridge Corps Older Adult Center, 252 86th St., Bay Ridge. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 238-2991.
JCCGCI Midwood Older Adult Center. 1625 Ocean Ave., Midwood. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 253-0508.
Bensonhurst Corps Community Center, 7307 18th Ave., Bensonhurst. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 975-4653
JCCGCI Jay-Harama Older Adult Center, 2600 Ocean Ave., Sheepshead Bay. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (718) 891-1110.
JASA Luna Park Annex Older Adult Center. 2880 West 12th St., Coney Island. 8 a.m-4 p.m. (718) 996-6666.