Otto Kaufman Community Center
356 Skillman Rd., Skillman
OPEN 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Extended hot weather in the high 90s and above with high humidity will result in exceptionally high heat indexes for the next several days. Montgomery Township will open the Otto Kaufman Community Center as a cooling center through Friday.
Please let neighbors & friends in town know the cooling center is available, especially any elderly residents or families with young children.
Residents are welcome to come in, read, rest, play a board game, do paperwork - in other words COOL OFF! Any question, please call the Recreation Dept. at (609) 466-3023.
During the hottest times of the day over the weekend, certain Somerset County libraries (locations & hours) are open to
serve as cooling centers. Stops at libraries or local malls to cool off are recommended. For the locations and hours of some cooling centers throughout NJ, scroll down to "Cooling Center List" and sort by County:
https://www.nj211.org/nj-cooling-centers
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COOLING TIPS
Montgomery Health Department reminds you to protect yourself and your
loved ones when temperatures become dangerously high.
Check often on family, friends and neighbors who are at high risk.
Never ever leave children, pets, or those who require special care in a parked car during periods of intense summer heat. Older adults, young children and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at higher risk for heat-related illness. Young and healthy individuals also are at risk if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather.
Keep yourself cool;
stay indoors during the hottest times of the day, seek out air-conditioned locations, such as libraries, malls and cooling centers; take cool showers or baths; limit outdoor activities to the morning and evening hours; avoid direct sunlight; wear loose, light-colored clothing; use a shade hat or an umbrella to block the sun.
Drink plenty of fluids
to replace what you lose through sweat. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink; avoid alcohol, caffeinated beverages and sugary drinks; bring a beverage with you to sip frequently when outdoors.
If you have a health condition
that requires that you limit fluids, talk with your doctor about your particular situation. Be aware that some medications can increase sensitivity to the heat. According to the New Jersey Poison Control Center, Medications such as; antidepressants, antihistamines (allergy medications), diuretics (water pills), and antipsychotics have all been known to increase the risk of heatstroke/ sunstroke, a condition that occurs when a person's body temperature rises to a dangerous level. Unless directed by a health care professional, do not take salt tablets or use products that may interfere with your medications or adversely affect your medical condition. Always check with your doctor and/or pharmacist.
If you must be outdoors
, plan heat-safe activities; pace yourself by scheduling breaks in shady areas; eat many small meals and snacks rather than a few big meals; avoid sunburn by using sunscreen products with a high sun protection factor (SPF) rating.
Recognize heat exhaustion and heat stroke
in yourself and others. Symptoms include muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting. If you see someone with signs of overheating, move the person to a cooler location, have them rest for a few minutes and then have them slowly drink a cool beverage. Get immediate medical attention if they do not feel better.
Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which can cause death or permanent disability unless treated immediately.
Symptoms of heat stroke include an extremely high body temperature (above 103°F); red, hot, dry skin; a rapid, strong pulse; nausea, confusion and unconsciousness. If you think someone has heat stroke, seek medical attention immediately, and begin cooling them down, as you would for heat exhaustion.
For more information, visit
www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/
Other Tips
to prevent heat illness:
- Hot cars can kill within minutes. Never leave children or pets alone inside parked cars. Leaving the widows down does not prevent temperatures inside the car from rising to deadly levels.
- Air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death.
- Drink plenty of water (fluids) throughout the day and less tea, coffee, cola and alcoholic beverages! Do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink - it may be too late!
- Reduce or schedule outdoor activity for cooler times of the day, before 10am and after 6pm.
- During outdoor activities, take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water or other fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting, open-woven clothes.
- Wear a vented hat in the sun to protect yourself from the sun's rays. Don't forget sunscreen!
- If you have a chronic medical problem, call the experts at the New Jersey Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) or ask your doctor how to deal with the heat.
