Update: June 29 at 4:30 p.m.
The City of Lexington has upgraded the previous activation of its heat plan to Phase 3 amid an Extreme Heat Warning issued by the National Weather Service.
According to the city, the threshold for Phase 3 activation occurs during a "heat emergency" when NWS issues a warning expected to last three or more days. Temperatures are expected to reach the 90s with heat indexes into the triple digits through the end of the workweek.
At this stage, partner organizations of the city's Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention will operate as cooling stations, and Lextran will offer free, fixed routes to those cooling stations.
Outreach teams will also be distributing supplies and assisting the public in accessing stations and shaded areas.
Original Story:
Lexington has activated Phase One of its Heat Plan from Monday, June 29, to Thursday, July 2, as the National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for the area until 9 p.m. Thursday.
The heat index is forecast to reach above 105 degrees. Lexington will monitor the heat index and expand options and resources as necessary.
The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention has opened cooling stations at the following locations:
- Arbor Youth Services
- Lexington Rescue Mission
- Mountain Comprehensive Care Center
- New Life Day Center
- New Vista Drop-In Center
- Nathaniel Mission
- Recovery Café Lexington
LexTran will provide free rides to cooling stations for those experiencing homelessness, and outreach teams will distribute supplies throughout the community.
Lexington's community centers — including Dunbar, Kenwick, Castlewood, and Tates Creek — will be open until the early evening.
City waste collection will begin early due to the heat advisory. Residential collection will begin at 4:30 a.m. and commercial collection at 3:30 a.m. Residents should place carts on the curb the night before their collection day.
The Division of Emergency Management encourages all residents to take precautions when outdoors, especially during the late morning through the afternoon. The very young, the elderly, and those with medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and should seek shelter from the extreme heat.
More information about handling extreme heat is available at BeReadyLexington.com/extreme-heat.
