Tri-State Area Swelters In Heat On The First Full Day Of Summer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) --  The New York City Department of Emergency Management announced it will open cooling centers on Friday to help New Yorkers beat the heat, as temperatures continue to suffocate the area.

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A heat advisory has been extended for New York City until 7 p.m. Friday.

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LaGuardia Airport tied the record temperature of 97 degrees Thursday, a mark previously set in 1953. Temperatures also reached 97 at JFK Airport, besting the record 95 set in 1988. A new record high temperature of 98 was also set Wednesday in Newark, breaking the old record of 97 set in 1953.

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It was a great day to drink water and not a bad day to dump it on your head as the Big Apple baked on the first full day of summer.

So much for the old saying "Never let 'em see you sweat."

"It's like purifying my body, bringing out the impurities.  It's making me sweat, like a hot sauna...it's healing," Annette Phillips-Hakeem told CBS 2's Tony Aiello.

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But the hot temperatures presented a danger to other people.

The ER director at Lincoln Medical Center said the very young and the very old are most at risk. Last year, heat related deaths in the city spiked to 31 from 10 the year before and just 2 in 2009. One sign someone is succumbing to the heat is confusion.

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"Once your body starts to lose significant amounts of fluid, you'll actually stop sweating.  So look for signs of dry skin, dry mouth," Dr. Fernando Jara said.

There's was also danger on the playground to the tender skin of young kids. Several are treated each year for serious burns from playground surface temperatures that can approach 200 degrees.

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As the temperatures rise, there are things you can do to keep cool.

EXTRA: Find A Cooling Center | Safety Tips | Send Us Your Photos

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Doctors say eating fresh fruits and vegetables with a lot of water in them can help keep your internal temperature down.

"Try to eat a light meal before so the body is not taking a lot of energy to digest those foods," said Dr. Lisa Ganjhu from St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital.

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Also, remember to drink plenty of water and limit any strenuous activity.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg also reminded New Yorkers that they have a place to go to escape the heat.

"We all think we're tough and nobody thinks that this is a big deal, but sadly, every year, we have to re-learn the lesson that this is a big deal," Bloomberg said. "One of the best ways to stay cool, if you're talking to somebody without air conditioning, is to go to one of the city's cooling centers."

Nearly 500 cooling centers are now open throughout the five boroughs. Call 311 to find the location of a cooling center near you.

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Cooling centers are also open in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester and Rockland counties.

Find A N.Y. Cooling Center: Suffolk County | Nassau County | Westchester County | Rockland County

In New Jersey, Newark also opened cooling centers in each ward of the city.

1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg visits a cooling center in Newark

"I urge our senior citizens and Newark residents who lack air conditioning to come to one of our cooling centers, where they can find relief during this hot spell," said Mayor Cory Booker.

See below for the full list of cooling centers in Newark:

Bethany Senior Center                                              
275 W. Market Street

Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Newark Dept of Child and Family Well Being    
110 William Street

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Ironbound Senior Center
156 Rome Street

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Stephen Crane Elderly Complex
900 Franklin Avenue

Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

South Ward Senior Center
731 Clinton Avenue

Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Unified Vailsburg Services Org.
462 Sanford Avenue

Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For cooling centers in other locations throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, residents should contact their state or local offices of emergency management.

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