New York City prepares for heat with cooling centers, plans to keep students safe
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The heat is here.
As the temperatures hit the Tri-state area, officials are urging people to take precautions.
From cooling centers to conserving energy, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself and your community.
There are also plans to ensure students are safe in New York City schools.
Some areas in New Jersey are expected to get into the 90s on Tuesday.
For many, the goal will be finding relief to beat the heat; and that includes schools, where custodians are coming in early to turn on the air conditioning before students arrive.
Department of Education officials say all classrooms should have air conditioning for students.
The city has spent more than 400 million dollars in recent years to install air conditioners in public school classrooms.
"Our crews are going to be out there very early in the morning to cool our schools. All of our schools have air conditioning in instructional spaces. An increasing number have air conditioning in the common spaces, meaning the auditoriums and the gyms. And so, our custodial crews will be out there very early cool those buildings before the children get there," Dan Weisberg, 1st Deputy Schools Chancellor, said.
While NYC pools don't open until next week, school chancellor David Banks will be here at Harry S. Truman High School for a ribbon cutting to open the pools.
A focus in this school administration is making sure children know how to swim.
The school has a six-lane swimming pool that has been out of use for more than 20 years. A second pool has been out of use for more than three.
The mayor has prioritized reopening indoor pools in schools to teach students how to swim, to both encourage youth to swim as well as to create a new generation of lifeguards.
Mayor Adams believes opening new pools is vital for communities that have historically been denied access to free public pools, like those where he grew up.
Meanwhile, cooling centers for the public are open through at least Friday.
READ MORE: Dangerous heat wave forecast for New York City, Tri-State area
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