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Columbia cooling centers provide relief from the heat

Krissy Venosdale
/
Flickr

As temperatures heat up throughout Boone County the Department of Health and Human Services is making sure everyone can cool down when they need to. The department established nine cooling centers in Columbia that serve as an air conditioned place where people can go when they need relief from the heat. Public Information Officer Genalee Alexander says the centers are located in convenient locations.
“We really feel like our locations are spread throughout the city and they’re on bus lines so pretty easy and accessible for people to get to so we don’t have any more this year than we did last year but again, we feel like they’re spread out throughout the community and accessible for all,” said Alexander.

Alexander says it’s important to remember the cooling centers are not shelters and do not provide medical attention. A heat advisory is in effect Thursday for several Missouri counties including Boone, Cole, Audrain, Callaway, and Osage until Saturday evening.

Here's a list of the cooling centers in Columbia and Ashland. Note that most are closed in the evening and on the fourth of July.