Can't escape the heat? Check out these places to keep cool this week

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory effective from Monday, June 17 to Friday, June 21.

Extreme heat can cause people to suffer from heat-related illnesses when their bodies cannot cool themselves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC. Older adults, young children, and people with chronic medical conditions are at the highest risk.

The Boone County Office of Emergency Management recommends using libraries to seek shelter.

“All the library locations are public places and are welcoming during normal operating hours,” Deputy Director Boone County Emergency Management Matthew Allen said.

All three county public libraries offer Wi-Fi, computers, free programs, play areas, air conditioning, and more. Information on the region’s libraries as well as other public cooling centers in the region is below.

Kenton County Public Library has branches in Covington at 502 Scott St., Erlanger at 401 Kenton Lands Road, and Independence at 1992 Walton Nicholson Road.

Library hours are:

Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Campbell County Public Library has locations in Alexandria at 8333 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring at 3920 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas at 1000 Highland Ave., and Newport at 901 East 6th St.

Library hours are (excluding Alexandria):

Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Alexandria’s branch hours are:

Monday through Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Boone County Public Library has locations in Burlington at 1786 Burlington Pike, Florence at 7425 U.S. Highway 42, Hebron at 1863 N Bend Road., Union at 8899 U.S. Highway 42, and Walton at 21 S Main St.

Boone County Libraries branches have varying hours of operation. To view those hours, click here.

Newport on the Levee, located at One Levee Way, has an indoor shopping center, including “Trade” featuring local shops and makers. The Levee is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The Florence Mall, located at 2028 Florence Mall, is an indoor shopping mall open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily except Sunday, which has hours from noon to 6 p.m.

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, located 436 W. 13th Street in Covington, the shelter offers a daytime cooling center for adults 18+ from Tuesday, June 18 to Friday, June 21, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Please call (859) 291-4555 for additional information.

The Kenton County Administration Building, located at 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington, offers a cooling center on the 2^nd floor training room between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Crescent Springs City Building, located at 739 Buttermilk Pike in Crescent Springs, offers a cooling center in the council chambers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Independence City Building, located at 5409 Madison Pike in Independence, offers a cooling center in the council chambers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fort Wright City Building, located at 409 Kyles Lane in Fort Wright, offers a cooling center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The CDC offers tips to stay cool should you find yourself outside during the heatwave:

Wear weather-appropriate clothing—this includes lightweight, loose-fitting clothes.
Limit your outdoor activity to the coolest times of day—morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to recover.
Pace yourself—If you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint, get into a cool area or the shade and rest.
Wear sunscreen—sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. A CDC tip is to look for sunscreens that say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels, as they provide the best protection.
Drink plenty of fluids—regardless of how active you are, and do not wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
Stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks—according to the CDC, these types of drinks cause you to lose more body fluid.
Check for updates—check the local news for extreme heat alerts.
Know the signs—learn the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses.