Orange County’s cooling centers, opened during the region’s hottest days as a public health initiative, will be opened when the weather hits a lower heat index this year, thanks to sustained pressure from local activists who told county leaders that the current threshold is too high.
Currently, these county-operated cooling centers — offering a publicly accessible, air-conditioned place to rest during times of extreme heat — are opened by the county at local parks and recreation centers when the heat index reaches 108 degrees.
Somewhat different from the outside temperature, the heat index “is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature,” according to the National Weather Service.
During Tuesday’s board of county commissioners meeting, local advocates organized with the grassroots group Support Orlando Shelters argued that this threshold is too high, especially for homeless people outdoors who have fewer options for relief. According to the NWS, a heat index of 103 or above can cause dangerous health conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, if people are subjected to prolonged exposure.
“If we wait to 108, then we’ve gone to the extreme,” argued Val Mobley, an SOS advocate who’s been meeting with county staff since last month to discuss the cooling center issue. “The heat is not going to change. It’s only going to get worse, and we all know that. So let’s do what we can,” she pleaded.
“Any of us, in a flash, can end up without a home,” added Alan Levi, another advocate organized with SOS. “Let’s take care of everyone, not just people who can afford shade.”
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings — a term-limited mayor running for Florida governor this year as a Democrat — responded to the group’s pleas with a rare decision to change the heat index threshold then and there. Even though the idea hadn’t formally been placed on the meeting agenda, the board of county commissioners voted unanimously to lower the heat index threshold for opening county cooling centers from 108 to 103.
“I do believe that it is a public safety and a public health issue,” Demings conceded. “It’s the right thing to do at the right time. Those of you who spoke, thank you for bringing it to our attention.”
Mobley, who had advocated for the 103 threshold, admitted that “it’s not great, because at 90 degrees, we know how hot it is.” Still, the group counted the board’s move to lower the threshold as a victory, or at least a step in the right direction.
“We need to increase the communication and the way that people find out about where they can go and be safe,” argued Michael Perkins, another SOS advocate who suggested coordinating stronger communication strategies through the emergency management department.
“We also need to lower the barriers for people who have pets, who have their belongings with them, who maybe just need to rest, lay down and rest for a bit,” he added.
Many of the region’s homeless shelters, for instance — which are currently at capacity — have strict rules such as curfews and pet bans. Pets can serve as a defense against violence for people living on the streets and can offer comfort to people who have little else in their life that’s stable.
“When you’re sleeping outside and someone comes into your area, if a dog barks to let you know, that can be a significant safety feature,” said Martha Are, CEO of the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, in a previous interview with Orlando Weekly. “We have people who are not willing to go into shelters and lose their pets because they’re concerned if they lose the shelter, then they also don’t have that security, in addition to the emotional support.”
Central Florida’s homeless population, largely concentrated in Orange County, currently outnumbers the available shelter beds in the region. Advocates have said that older adults living on fixed incomes now make up a greater share of the region’s homeless population, compared to years past — including seniors priced out of their homes due to factors such as rising rents and skyrocketing home insurance rates.
Central Florida is also expecting “near record heat” over the next few days, according to News 6’s Thursday weather report. Although rain showers are expected over the weekend, this moisture is expected to add greater humidity and thus raise the actual temperatures outside of upper 80s and low 90s to a “feels like” temperature or heat index value into the upper 90s or 100s.
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