Local Residents Find Different Ways To Stay Cool As Philadelphia's Heat Health Emergency Remains In Effect
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The city has opened more cooling centers to get a break from the sun and for those dealing with the heat and limited resources to cool things down. This weather can be dangerous and the city has activated a number of services to help keep everyone safe.
It's been brutal out and people are finding any way they can to cool off.
On a hot, sticky and scorching Saturday night, Idris Jones is spending his 13th birthday with his dad trying to find a little reprieve from the heat at the Swann Fountain in Logan Square.
"We pretty much went to the movie theater in the Fashion District, that's where the air is at," Chris Jones said. "So we went down there to get some air, then just came down here just to cool off."
And they had a lot of company.
Zoelle Simmons-Bey said the water was cold, but it felt good.
But it wasn't just the kids getting drenched, even the adults jumped in.
"It's like a breath of fresh air," Nivedith Dey said. "The weather is so hot to handle. This was so much fun."
Philadelphia remains under a heat health emergency.
The city has rolled out four cooling buses with air conditioning to help people cool off.
Camille Hickman hopped on board the bus parked at Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philly.
"Cooling spot, I said, 'Oh let me sit here,' and get some of this shade for a minute," Hickman said.
Cooling sites around the city have also opened. Twelve libraries have extended hours --- another place for residents to go and get a little relief.
"It's a little rough even coming from like 114 degree weather because that's what it is in Vegas right now, this still feels kind of intense," Jordan Jones said.
Jordan Jones is visiting her mom in Philly. She's lucky her train out of New York was on-time.
But some trains at 30th Street Station were delayed more than two hours because of heat-related speed restrictions between New York and Philadelphia.
"Everything basically coming outside of New York was delayed," Jordan Jones said. "Everything in New York was OK."
The cooling buses and cooling centers will reopen Sunday.
