New Yorkers needing to beat the heat this week can find fast relief with help from thousands of kiosks displaying real-time information about cooling centers across the city, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Thursday.<\/p>\n
With 90-plus-degree temperatures<\/a> expected through Friday, more than 2,200 LinkNYC kiosks \u2014 which showed coverage of the Knicks\u2019 dramatic comeback in NBA Finals Game 4<\/a> on Wednesday night \u2014 will display real-time walking directions to the nearest NYC cooling center within a 10-minute walk, the city said.<\/p>\n The kiosks \u2014 those tall metal structures on Big Apple sidewalks that offer Wi-Fi and phone charging \u2014 will automatically update using data from the city\u2019s Cool Options Finder<\/a>\u00a0as\u00a0cooling\u00a0centers open and close\u00a0throughout\u00a0extreme heat\u00a0events.\u00a0<\/p>\n The new information system is the result of a partnership between New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) and\u00a0LinkNYC.\n<\/p>\n \u201cIn an\u00a0emergency, information\u00a0can save lives,\u201d Mamdani said. \u201cExtreme heat\u00a0becomes deadly fast,\u00a0and New Yorkers \u2014 especially seniors, working people and families without reliable air conditioning \u2014 are vulnerable when temperatures soar. By turning\u00a0thousands\u00a0of\u00a0LinkNYC\u00a0kiosks into real-time guides to cooling centers,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0using public technology to connect people with the resources they need to stay safe. This is what city government should do: meet New Yorkers where they are and make it easier to access the services that protect them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n LinkNYC kiosks are funded primarily by advertising displays.\n<\/p>\n \u201cThis initiative shows what\u2019s possible when public and private partners use technology to solve real-world challenges,\u201d said Nick Colvin, CEO of LinkNYC. \u201cBy partnering directly with city agencies, LinkNYC is helping to deliver timely, location-specific information to New Yorkers exactly when and where they need it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Lisa Gelobter, commissioner and chief technology officer at OTI, said technology can help people stay safe during dangerous heat.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cAs temperatures rise to dangerous levels, OTI is glad to be able put technology to use, meet New Yorkers where they are and help residents and visitors stay safe,\u201d she said.\n<\/p>\n Dangers of extreme heat<\/p>\n City officials said the most effective way to stay safe during extreme heat is to find air conditioning, which cooling centers provide.\n<\/p>\n \u201cHigh heat can be dangerous; it is the deadliest emergency we face in New York City. It is vital that every New Yorker know about the cooling centers available to them throughout the five boroughs during extreme heat events,\u201d NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell said. \u201cOur partnership with\u00a0LinkNYC\u00a0enables us to reach even more New Yorkers and keep them informed before, during and after heat emergencies.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n