Inclement Weather Resource for Heat

At the threshold of 90 degrees or warmer, the City will activate cooling centers.

Catholic Community Service’s Nativity House at 702 S. 14th Street

The City is partnering with Catholic Community Services (CCS) to provide individuals who are experiencing homelessness with both daytime and nighttime heat relief.  

For daytime heat relief, the Nativity House will be open for individuals to find a place to cool down from the heat from 7 AM to 5 PM every day.

CCS is also expected to open additional capacity at the Nativity House for individuals who need nighttime relief from the sustained warmer temperatures as well on days that reach 90 degrees and above during the day and sustained warm temperatures overnight at 70 degrees or above. 

Tacoma Public Library Locations Open to the Public Tuesday through Saturday

Tacoma Public Library’s eight neighborhood locations are open to the public Tuesday through Saturday.

Tacoma Public Library current hours for all locations are:

• Tuesday and Wednesday hours 12-8 PM
• Thursday, Friday and Saturday hours 10 AM to 6PM
• The Main Library (located at 1102 Tacoma Ave. South) is lobby service only; no public restrooms are available. This locations will temporarily close to the public starting on Friday, September 1, due to facility updates scheduled through 2024.

City of Tacoma Urges Residents to Prepare for Heat

Excessive heat can be dangerous to all people, and older adults, people with health concerns and children are at a greater risk.

Know the symptoms of heat stroke:

• Cold, pale and clammy skin
• Heavy sweating
• Fainting or passing out
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Fast, weak pulse
• Tiredness or weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headache

If a person has these symptoms, they should cease activity, move to a cooler location and seek medical attention. Elders and children are the most susceptible, so checking on elderly neighbors and keeping children out of the sun is important.

Don’t leave children, dependent adults or pets in parked vehicles.

Temperatures can quickly climb to a level that can result in death. If you see a person or pet left in a parked vehicle during hot weather call 911 and stay with the vehicle until it is resolved.

The City is continuing to conduct outreach to unhoused neighbors

We are continuing to connect them with shelter and resources and is providing bottled water to people living unsheltered during weekdays when temperatures are excessive.

Things to do to keep cool:

• Metro Parks Tacoma's 10 spraygrounds are open on from 10 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week through Memorial Day. Throughout the season maintenance issues may arise and a sprayground may need to be shut down temporarily.  For the most up-to-date information on all Metro Parks Tacoma’s services, visit them at metroparkstacoma.org/staycool253.
• Stay in the shade.
• Drink water (people and pets)
• Plan trips to places with air conditioning, including libraries, grocery shopping, etc.
• Keep your house cool – shut windows and blinds during the day, and open windows and use fans to cool the house once the temperature outside declines.
• If you plan to go to the water to cool off, please remember that even when it is hot outside, people can die of hypothermia in the water if core body temperature drops below 93 degrees Fahrenheit.