Here are 7 things to know during the ongoing extreme heat in Lexington

Daniel Kehn

As Lexington’s heat index continued to rise into triple digits, the Lexington Division of Emergency Management on Monday issued a Phase I Heat Alert, which will run through Saturday evening.

What does that mean, how will it impact your life and is there cool relief on the way?

Here’s what you need to know during the heat wave:

How long will the heat wave last?

According to the National Weather Service, the heat wave will be around for at least another two weeks

Hot temperatures will persist for most of the upcoming week with a few days of relief in the mid-80s. Peak heat indexes near 100 degrees are possible each day.

According to the National Weather Service, Kentucky is expected to be likely in the hotter temperatures for the next 8-14 days.
According to the National Weather Service, Kentucky is expected to be likely in the hotter temperatures for the next 8-14 days.

Lexington’s heat plan

The Phase I alert ensures there are emergency plans in place around the city in the event of extreme temperature situations. Phase I is also referred to as “Readiness,” according to the Lexington-Fayette Urban Country Extreme Heat Incident-Specific Plan.

Put in place when the Heat Index is expected to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the alert allows for community centers around Lexington to be used as available cooling stations.

Additionally, people experiencing homelessness will be able to ride LexTran to a cooling station free of charge and outreach teams like HopeMobile, Lexington Street Outreach and the Compassionate Caravan will distribute water throughout the city. The outreach teams will also assist people in getting to shady areas and cooling stations.

Lexington cooling station locations

Cooling stations are available at the following locations around Lexington:

Dunbar Community Center: 545 N. Upper St., (859) 288-2941

Kenwick Community Center: 313 Owsley Ave., (859) 266-6405

Castlewood Community Center: 201 Castlewood Dr., (859) 254-2470

Tates Creek Community Center: 3460 Campus Way, (859) 971-3068

The centers are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Lexington garbage pick-up times adjusted

With the implementation of Phase I, Lexington’s Division of Waste Management will begin collecting trash and other services an hour earlier this week.

Commercial services will begin at 3:30 a.m. while residential collection will start at 4:30 a.m. The city said carts, or trash cans, should be placed on the curb the evening before collection days after 4 p.m.

The Lexington Recycle Center, the Electronics Center and all city offices will also be closed Wednesday, June 19, in observation of the Juneteenth holiday.

Lexington changes trash collection because of heat. Here’s when to put out your cans

Mail delivery to remain the same

Despite the heat, residents should expect mail deliveries to be on time this week. Susan Wright, strategic communications specialist for U.S. Postal Service Corporate Communications, said there will be no adjustment in delivery times, though the situation will be closely monitored.

“We provide training for all employees to prevent heat-related illnesses,” she said. “We encourage employees to recognize the signs of heat rash, heat exhaustion and heat stroke and to seek medical assistance in response to any emergency medical situation involving themselves, their family, their coworkers and their customers.”

The post office, however, will be closed Wednesday for Juneteenth, which is a federal holiday, and there will be no mail delivery.

How to know if you have heat stroke

Heat stroke is when your body’s temperature rises quickly and your body cannot react fast enough to cool itself down, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some quick-to-spot symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion: headache, nausea, dizziness, heavy sweating and weakness. More severe symptoms are a lake of sweating and body temperature rising to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10-15 minutes.

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What are the symptoms of heat stroke in animals?

The Lexington-Fayette County Division of Emergency Management says you can identify heat stroke in a dog, cat or small animal by watching for the following signs:

  • Excessive panting

  • Fainting or dizziness

  • Seizures

  • Vomiting or diarrhea

  • Bloody gums

How hot is too hot to walk your dog? How to keep pets safe in Kentucky’s heat wave

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