LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Lexington will activate Phase One of its Heat Plan Wednesday, July 15, through Saturday, July 18, as the heat index is forecast to reach 95 degrees or above.
The heat index combines temperature and humidity to approximate how hot it feels outside. The city said it will monitor conditions and expand options and resources as necessary.
As part of Phase One, 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 will also be open until the early evening.
City waste collection will begin one hour early for the rest of July, starting on July 16. 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.
