Missouri Cooling Centers

If you or someone you know needs a place to cool off, there may be a place near you. You can locate the nearest cooling center here. For overnight shelter, contact local emergency management or call United Way 2-1-1.

Each year many Missourians suffer from heat-related illnesses, with some cases resulting in death. During prolonged periods of high temperatures, using air conditioning – either at home or by seeking shelter in a local cooling center -- is the best preventive measure. Centers are not overnight shelters.

Missourians should become familiar with the terms used to identify heat hazards:

Heat Wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity.
Heat Index is a number in degrees Fahrenheit (F) that tells how hot it feels when relative humidity is added to the air temperature. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees.
Heat Cramps are muscle pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are often the first signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
Heat Exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim’s condition will worsen. Body temperature will keep rising and the victim may suffer heat stroke.
Heat Stroke is a life-threatening condition. The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.
Sun Stroke is another term for heat stroke.

To prepare for extreme heat, you should consider:

Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate spaces around the air condition for a tighter fit, if necessary.
Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.
If you have central air conditioning, set the thermostat no lower than 78 degrees.
Change or clean your air-conditioning filter once a month.
Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside.
Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.
Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. (Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.)
Keep storm windows up all year.