New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani on Wednesday announced expanded emergency measures to protect residents as a historic heat wave grips the city ahead of the July Fourth holiday weekend, with temperatures expected to feel as high as 112 degrees.
The new actions include opening additional cooling centers, extending outdoor pool hours and intensifying outreach to vulnerable populations, building on an earlier heat emergency plan unveiled Monday.
“I am asking every New Yorker to make a heat plan before the worst of this weather arrives,” Mamdani said in a statement. “The best protection against extreme heat is air conditioning. If you don’t have it at home, know now where you’ll go to stay cool.”
City officials said eight additional municipal buildings and 10 public library branches will operate as cooling centers from July 3 through July 5, with hours running from noon to midnight at select locations. Hundreds of cooling centers are being activated citywide, with real-time directions available through LinkNYC kiosks and the city’s online cooling center finder.
Outdoor relief options are also expanding. Olympic- and intermediate-sized public pools will remain open until 8:30 p.m., later than previous heat wave extensions, while the city’s roughly 50 outdoor pools and public beaches will continue to offer free access with lifeguards on duty during designated hours.
The administration is also increasing its street outreach workforce by adding 150 volunteers, bringing the total to more than 600 workers conducting canvassing during “Code Red” heat conditions. Outreach teams will connect people experiencing homelessness to shelters, cooling centers and medical services.
Additionally, the city is deploying 21 Cooling Outreach On-Location, or COOL, vans staffed with medical personnel to provide wellness checks, distribute supplies such as water, sunscreen and meals, and transport residents—particularly older adults—to cooling facilities or health care services.
To protect outdoor workers, officials are expanding pop-up cooling stations equipped with water, misting fans and cooling towels. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and the Department of Health are also contacting more than 75,000 businesses to encourage heat safety plans and remind workers of their right to use protected time off for heat-related illness.
Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell urged residents to check on neighbors and loved ones, particularly older adults and those with health conditions.
“The neighbor who knocks on the door, the family member who calls to check in, the stranger who stops to help — that’s our most powerful tool,” Farrell said.
Officials are also asking residents and businesses to conserve energy by setting thermostats to 78 degrees and limiting use of major appliances during peak hours to maintain grid reliability.
Health officials warned that extreme heat can be life-threatening and advised New Yorkers to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity and seek air-conditioned spaces. Residents are urged to call 911 if they experience symptoms of heat illness such as confusion, rapid heartbeat or difficulty breathing.
Cooling center locations and additional resources are available by calling 311 or visiting the city’s website.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
