Red Cross urges Fresno County residents to prepare for triple-digit heat

Triple-digit heat is expected to arrive early next week across the San Joaquin Valley, and the American Red Cross Central California Region is telling Fresno County households to get ready before temperatures spike. Volunteers are pushing a simple message: stay hydrated, stay cool and stay connected, a warning aimed squarely at the people most likely to struggle when the valley heat turns dangerous.

The concern is more than discomfort. Fresno County says extreme heat often produces the highest number of annual deaths among weather-related hazards, and county health officials define it as high heat and humidity above 90 degrees for at least two to three days. The National Weather Service in Hanford said Thursday that temperatures would approach triple digits in the San Joaquin Valley early next week, with urban areas and foothills below 1,000 feet possibly only cooling to 70 to 74 degrees overnight, leaving little time for bodies and homes to recover.

That is why county and Red Cross guidance centers on preparation, not reaction. People are being told to drink water regularly, with one Red Cross volunteer recommending about a cup every 20 minutes. Residents are also being urged to check on seniors, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic disease or disability, outdoor workers and anyone without reliable air conditioning. Fresno County’s public health guidance also warns that student athletes, farmworkers and others who spend time outside face added risk when heat, sun and physical exertion stack up.

The safety advice extends beyond people. Families are being reminded to walk pets during cooler parts of the day, keep animals off hot pavement and never leave them in a car. Households should also prepare for possible power outages by keeping coolers ready for food and drinks, especially if a home relies on electric cooling. Heat illness can start with cramps and escalate to life-threatening heat stroke, and California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has said heat-related deaths and illnesses are often underrecognized, misdiagnosed and underreported.

For people who do not have air conditioning at home, the City of Fresno said cooling centers will open when temperatures are forecast to reach or exceed 105 degrees and will operate from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. FAX riders can get a free trip to the nearest cooling or warming center by telling the driver the destination. As of Friday, May 8, the city listed Ted C. Wills Community Center, Mosqueda Community Center and Maxie L. Parks Community Center as cooling-center locations to check. Fresno County also points residents to libraries, malls and other city resources when the heat becomes too much to ride out at home.