TOWN OF WEST SPRINGFIELD HEALTH DEPARTMENT 26 Central Street, Suite 18 West Springfield, MA 01089-2754 TEL (413) 263-3206 www.west-springfield.ma.us FAX (413) 737-1583 July 16, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jeanne Galloway, REHS, MPA, CHO Director of Public Health 413-263-3205 jgalloway@west-springfield.ma.us HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT IN WEST SPRINGFIELD With the onset of temperatures in the mid to upper 90oF, the Town of West Springfield offers the following suggestions for those town residents who have inadequate cooling in their homes. 1. The Center on Park (fka the Senior Center), 128 Park Street is open today, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Anyone who needs to cool off is welcome here. 2. The West Springfield Public Library, 200 Park Street also welcomes anyone who needs to get out of the heat. Their hours are 9:00 am to 8:00pm, Monday through Thursday. 3. Alice Corson Waterpark on Main Street is open today, tomorrow and Wednesday from 12:30 pm to 4:15 pm and again from 5:30 pm to 7:15 pm. Access requires identification and is free for residents. Non-residents also require identification and must pay a small fee. The fee depends on age and applies to each day that entry is desired. For information on acceptable forms of identification, contact the West Springfield Park and Recreation Office or check their page on the Town’s website, www.west-springfield.ma.us. 4. Memorial Pool, located at the corner of Smyrna Street and Amostown Road, is open the same days and hours as Alice Corson. The same access fees apply as well. a. The Splash Pad at Memorial pool has additional hours for toddlers (children 5 years and under) and their care givers. Hours for “Splash Time for Tots” are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Other options for residents to beat the heat include visiting local malls or movie theaters. Citizens are also reminded to take precautions to avoid heat related illness. These precautions include wearing light colored and light weight clothing, drinking lots of non-alcoholic beverages, avoiding caffeine. Electric fans will not prevent heat-related illness; taking a cool shower and air conditioning is effective. Never leave a person or animal in a closed, parked vehicle. If you must be out in the heat, limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Cut down on exercise and drink two to four glasses of water per hour. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (most effective “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection”) and rest often in shady places.