Dallas resident Allen Thomas, 71, lives in an Oak Cliff apartment without central air conditioning. In the summer, he doesn’t get any cool air. In the winter, he doesn’t get much heat.
“It’s so hot out,” Thomas said. “You can’t sleep.”
He can cool off at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center, and he helps others do so, too. As a bus driver with the center, Thomas picks up senior residents from their homes and drops them off each day.
To help people in similar situations, Reliant Energy and the city of Dallas opened two Beat the Heat cooling centers in South and West Dallas. People can go indoors for air conditioning, refreshments and activities, and the electricity provider will offer portable air conditioning units to give away.
The opening of the centers comes after the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, announced that it expects to hit record peak demand of 77,317 megawatts this summer. On Sunday, ERCOT set an all-time record for electricity demand at 74,917 megawatts as Dallas-Fort Worth experienced triple-digit temperatures.
The heat affects everyone in the community but especially those who are more vulnerable. Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, said the elevated heat the region has been seeing is a public health issue and can be extremely dangerous. People 65 and older, children under 2 and those with chronic diseases and mental illness are the most vulnerable populations, he said.
The best thing to do is to protect yourself from the heat and stay hydrated, Huang said.
The two air-conditioned cooling centers are free to use, one at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and another at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center, 2828 Fish Trap Road. The centers will remain open through September but will close for summer holidays including Juneteenth and Independence Day.
The MLK Community Center’s cooling center will open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, and will be closed Sundays. The cooling center in West Dallas will open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, and will be closed Sundays.
Additionally, Reliant Energy provided 220 air-conditioning units to the centers. Those interested in receiving a unit must register either by phone or in person at the centers and provide identification to pick up the units. The West Dallas center will hold raffles for the air conditioners each Friday, and the MLK Community Center will distribute on a first-come basis.
The cooling centers also can help residents manage their electricity bills by turning off lights and appliances, turning up thermostats and leaving the house in the afternoon. Peak times for electricity use are between 3 and 7 p.m.
“No one should have to worry about how they pay their electricity bill or put their health at risk by running their AC when the weather gets this hot,” said Suzie Dieth, director of customer experience with Reliant Energy.
Dallas City Council member Omar Narvaez encouraged people to check on their neighbors, especially those most vulnerable, during the summer heat.
“Our elders worked hard,” Narvaez said. “They played by the rules. They’re living a long life, but we want them to live the longest possible life.”
Thomas, the bus driver for the West Dallas center, agreed that people need help in this economy, as rent increases and prices go up. Whether he wins a raffle or not, he said he’s good either way. The raffles will go on through the summer, and Thomas will continue to visit the center.
