The heat is on in Georgia. Photo from dekalbcountyga.gov

DeKalb County has opened cooling centers in response to the heatwave that has hit Georgia.

The National Weather Service reported a hazardous weather outlook throughout the day for portions of North and Central Georgia with heat index values between 105 and 109 degrees expected.

The DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and Department of Recreations, Parks and Cultural Affairs have opened cooling centers in county libraries and recreation centers during business hours, according to a press release. Additionally, “all seven county pools, excluding Browns Mill Aquatic Facility, can be accessed by DeKalb residents free of charge.”

The county also shared tips to “beat the heat” like drinking lots of water, dressing in lightweight and light-colored clothing, and never leaving kids or pets in the car alone.

Here’s the press release from DeKalb County with links for local libraries, pools, and other cooling centers:

DECATUR, Ga. – DeKalb County announces the DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and Department of Recreations, Parks and Cultural Affairs have opened cooling centers for citizens to use during the expected heat wave. County libraries and recreation centers can be used as cooling centers during their normal business hours, and all seven county pools, excluding Browns Mill Aquatic Facility, can be accessed by DeKalb residents free of charge.

A list of recreation centers can be found here, and list of DeKalb libraries here.

County officials have also shared tips to stay safe and cool during extreme heat advisories and warnings.

County residents are welcomed to sign up for DeKalb’s high-speed emergency notification system, CodeRED, which has the ability to quickly deliver time-sensitive messages via voice, email, and text to targeted areas of the county during emergency situations.

For more information, please call DEMA at 770-270-0413.