As the area continues to swelter, at least four areas are serving as cooling centers in Clallam and Jefferson counties on Monday. They are:
• Chimacum — The air-conditioned Tri-Area Community Center, 10 W. Valley Road in Chimacum, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility’s phone number is 360-390-4014.
• Quilcene — The Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101, also air-conditioned, will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It can be reached at 360-765-3321.
• Brinnon — The Brinnon Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, 306144 U.S. Highway 101, isn’t air-conditioned, but it will have fans and water available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today. The center’s phone number is 360-796-4350.
• Sequim —Olympic Theatre Arts Center, 414 N. Sequim Ave., will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The space has air conditioning and will provide water and snacks from the Sequim Food Bank.
A visit to a cooling center — or even a grocery store — can do a lot to help lower one’s body temperature, said Willie Bence, director of the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management.
For Port Townsend residents who need to cool off, Bence encouraged a visit to the Tri-Area Community Center, which is about a 15-minute drive away.
Emergency management is partnering with the Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) to provide the centers, Bence said.
