Keizertimes is a weekly community newspaper serving Keizer, Oregon. The newspaper was founded in 1979.

The Kaiser Civic Center will be used as a cooling station on Sunday, June 27, as the temperature is expected to soar to 115 degrees.

The cooling center will be equipped with water, charging stations and a place to sit down. COVID-19 guidelines will be developed, masks will be required, social distancing will be maintained and disinfection stations will be used. 

In addition, the Splash Station behind Chalmers Jones Park Civic Center will be open from noon to 7 pm from Friday to Sunday

In hot weather, prevention of diseases related to high temperature is very important. Here are some tips for resisting high temperatures:

• Move to the shade; park spaces with trees and other forest areas can provide much-needed protection 

• Drink more water. You should drink small amounts often, such as a glass every 20 minutes.

• Do not leave children or pets in the car. Even leaving them in the car for a short time can be dangerous, and the temperature can be life-threatening within a few minutes.

• Manage the workload and do the heaviest manual labor during the colder part of the day. Add frequent short breaks. Monitor yourself and your colleagues for signs of heat stroke.

• Wear light clothing. Light-colored cotton is a good choice.

• Open blinds or sunshades to reduce solar heat from windows. Keep the windows closed when the air conditioner is running.

• If possible, stay in an air-conditioned room. If you do not have air conditioning, please go to shopping malls, theaters or other public places with air conditioning.

• Make sure the pet has enough fresh water to drink.

• Check out sick and elderly neighbors who may be susceptible to heatstroke.

For residents who do not have a shelter, the local community service agency ARCHES plans to provide afternoon shelters at Salem Day Center on Saturdays and Sundays. This will last from noon to 4 pm. The team is looking for six volunteers every day to help provide cold drinks and shade and air conditioning in the center.

Other splash pads in the Salem-Kaiser area include:

Englewood Park, 1260 19th St. NE, 12 noon to 8 pm

Fairmount Park, 650 Rural St. S., 12 noon to 8 pm

Northgate Park, 3575 Fairhaven Ave. NE, 12 noon to 8 pm

Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. NE 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Helu Park, No. 3045, Helu. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

West Bennett Park, 2200 Baxter Rd. Southeast, 12 noon to 8 pm

West Salem Park, 265, Rosemont Ave. NW, 12 noon to 8 pm

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