PORTLAND, Ore. — It was sunny and hot in Portland on Friday — but the heat was expected to really turn on the second half of the coming weekend, getting into dangerous territory.
That has Multnomah County’s emergency management department moving water and other supplies from its warehouse to outreach partners. It's an effort to help vulnerable people, like those who are homeless and those living in housing without air conditioning, before the heat hits.
“We have a pretty robust program here in Multnomah County when we see severe weather,” said Chris Voss.
Voss is director of Multnomah County Emergency Management. On Thursday alone, his team got more than 18,000 bottles of water out, along with smaller amounts of refillable bottles, sunscreen, electrolyte packs, cooling towels and misting bottles, all meant for those most at risk.
But officials say we can all stay safer by hydrating, not overdoing anything from exercise to alcohol, wearing light clothing and hats, among other things.
“I think behavior's a lot of it, but avoiding being outside during the hottest part of the day, especially if you're going to not have much shade, I think that's number one on the list to really be able to avoid some of those risks,” said Voss.
RELATED: Heat wave in Portland next week could tie record for triple-digit temperature days
Portland Parks and Recreation noted that swimming pools are great, but not really for staying cool. That said, you don't need to know how to swim to get wet at any of the city's roughly two dozen interactive fountains or splash pads. Park splash pad hours are extended this year, now going from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. And the Portland Water Bureau just set up 14 misting stations at other parks in time for the heat wave.
If you are getting on the river or other waterways, have fun but be safe. If you're boating, follow the rules of the waterways. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said that the Columbia River is up to 71 degrees now in the Portland area, but it can still be a shock to the system. And other rivers are much colder.
The sheriff’s office recommends that anyone on or near the water wear a life jacket, and many popular spots have loaners available.
Along the Portland waterfront, the dog days of summer are arriving and that's ok with a dog named Shadow — and his human, Kayleah Davis.
Her advice: “Stay hydrated, stay cool, keep water on you, and just enjoy — enjoy the weather.”
Friday was nice enough, but temperatures will climb from here into next week’s expected triple digits. As for cooling centers, look for decisions likely this weekend from Multnomah County. If it's a go, we'll likely see extended hours at some libraries, and cooling centers opening during the exceptionally hot days to come.
Air conditioners are also going out through several programs and providers, an ongoing effort to get air conditioning installed, especially in underserved communities where many cannot afford to install AC on their own. Thousands of units have been and will be installed in the long-term effort that really took off after the deadly heat dome disaster of 2021.