Summer temperatures are returning to North Texas. Here are some resources to help beat the heat.
Summer is officially here in North Texas. This week the First Alert Weather team is forecasting high temperatures to break 100 degrees for the first time this year. The heat index could bring the feels-like temperature to 109 degrees.
Although many North Texans have become accustomed to dealing with extreme heat, there are still many people in the community who do not have air conditioning in their homes, or have trouble affording the increased electrical bills that come with cranking up the AC.
Power company Reliant and the City of Fort Worth opened four cooling centers in the city on Thursday, which are now among many places in the region to get relief.
Cooling centers in the North Texas region
Dallas
- West Dallas Multipurpose Center, 2828 Fish Trap Rd., Dallas
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 2922 MLK Blvd., Dallas
Fort Worth
- Como Community Center, 4660 Horne St., Fort Worth
- Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 5565 Truman Dr., Fort Worth
- Northside Community Center, 1100 NW 18th St., Fort Worth
- Worth Heights Community Center, 3551 New York Ave., Fort Worth
Salvation Army of North Texas (open when temperatures rise above 100 degrees for three days in a row)
- Oak Cliff – 1617 W. Jefferson Blvd., Dallas
- Pleasant Grove – 8341 Elam Rd., Dallas
- Carr P. Collins Social Service Center – 5302 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas
- Northside – 3023 NW 24th St, Fort Worth
- J.E. & L.E. Mabee Social Service Center – 1855 E Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth
- Irving – 250 E Grauwyler Rd.
- Garland – 451 W Avenue D
- Lewisville – 880 Fox Ave.
- Waxahachie – 620 Farley St.
- Plano – 3528 E 14th St.
- McKinney – 600 Wilson Creek Pkwy.
- Arlington – 712 W. Abram St.
- Denton – 1508 E McKinney St.
Free air conditioners and fans
Reliant has also donated hundreds of air conditioner units and evaporative cooling fans to the community centers in Dallas and Fort Worth, listed above. Anyone interested in getting one for their home should contact the center in their community. Each center has its own eligibility and procedures for giving the units away.
The United Way of Tarrant County also has a free air conditioner program. It's only open to Tarrant County residents.
Help with utility bills
The State of Texas's 211 service gives residents a central place to search for resources across the state, including assistance to with paying utility bills. Texans can call 211 or visit the website. 211 also has more information on cooling centers and air conditioning units for those who need them.