Here’s how many people use Sacramento County cooling centers, how much they cost

As hot weather continues in the Sacramento area, cooling centers have reopened to help those in need.We’ve been telling viewers about the open locations in Sacramento County and wanted to find out if they’re being used, by whom and at what cost . A 2021 severe weather after-action report published two months ago by the county’s Office of Emergency Services has the answers to many of these questions. Here’s a look at the cost of cooling centers in Sacramento County. The county operated 14 cooling centers during summer months last year, according to the report. There were a total of 381 people and two pets that used them. The centers were open for 15 days for a total operating cost of nearly $24,000. That’s about $1,500 a day for a cost of about $62 per person. The county’s report also included some information about cooling centers operated by cities. Four out of the six cities provided operational costs, but some of those were listed as $0. That included the city of Sacramento, which reported it saw 48 visitors to its two cooling centers last year during three periods when they were open. “Often times, a city’s choice in location and staffing results in $0 additional dollars spent to operate a cooling center,” a county spokesperson said. Here’s a look at staffing at Sacramento County cooling centers. As we often report, the cooling centers are open sometimes until 8 pm Sometimes, volunteers staff the centers. In some cases, county workers are paid overtime to remain. Who takes advantage of the cooling centers? The county says they don’t typically see children and they don’t track demographic data. But according to the after-action report tracking demographics was one of the areas identified as needing improvement that should have been addressed in May. A Sacramento County spokesperson said the county is now working to address and better track if people are an “adult or child and male or female.” They are also tracking what time they arrive and depart and how many pets use the centers. The county is not collecting race, ethnicity or age, according to spokesperson Janna Haynes. Here’s what else the county is doing to improve access to the centers.The county also wants to track the mode of transportation a person uses to get to the centers so they can make adjustments to the transportation plan and or location of a particular center. The report found that Sacramento Regional Transit had provided 100 ride passes for county officials to distribute to those in need, but flyers that were also provided with the locations of the centers did not identify which bus lines and stops to use to find the centers. The report also called for pets to be accepted in more centers and while in transit and called for volunteers who distribute the passes to potentially get reimbursed for gas money.The report also listed one possible heat-related death, a 70-year-old man found unresponsive outside a gas station. A history of drug use also contributed to the death, according to the county. Still, the report recommended that public health officials share information with advocates to help those who are unhoused understand the risks of drug use and severe weather. In June, the county updated its criteria for opening centers to include when an excessive heat warning has been issued. It also factors in three days of “magenta” on a new heat risk model.”Utilizing the Experimental HeatRisk Model offers an alternative, holistic solution that uses high and low temperature forecasts and adds data from Centers for Disease Control heat health thresholds, local climatology , the duration of heat, and the heat island effect in urban areas,” the county said on its website. “In the past, old heat temperature thresholds were solely based on the Heat Index.”Asked if they believe the cooling centers are really meeting the needs of people who need to escape the heat, a county spokesperson said: “The County has limited spaces that are feasible to utilize for cooling centers. While the process may not be perfect, we are using the resources we have. The centers do continue to see utilization, however, we continue to evaluate options to increase utilization.”

As hot weather continues in the Sacramento area, cooling centers have reopened to help those in need.

We’ve been telling viewers about the open locations in Sacramento County and wanted to find out if they’re being used, by whom and at what cost.

A 2021 severe weather after-action report published two months ago by the county’s Office of Emergency Services has the answers to many of these questions.

Here’s a look at the cost of cooling centers in Sacramento County.

The county operated 14 cooling centers during summer months last year, according to the report.

There were a total of 381 people and two pets that used them.

The centers were open for 15 days for a total operating cost of nearly $24,000. That’s about $1,500 a day for a cost of about $62 per person.

The county’s report also included some information about cooling centers operated by cities. Four out of the six cities provided operational costs, but some of those were listed as $0.

That included the city of Sacramento, which reported it saw 48 visitors to its two cooling centers last year during three periods when they were open.

“Often times, a city’s choice in location and staffing results in $0 additional dollars spent to operate a cooling center,” a county spokesperson said.

Here’s a look at staffing at Sacramento County cooling centers.

As we often report, the cooling centers are open sometimes until 8 pm Sometimes, volunteers staff the centers. In some cases, county workers are paid overtime to remain.

Who takes advantage of the cooling centers?

The county says they don’t typically see children and they don’t track demographic data. But according to the after-action report tracking demographics was one of the areas identified as needing improvement that should have been addressed in May.

A Sacramento County spokesperson said the county is now working to address and better track if people are an “adult or child and male or female.” They are also tracking what time they arrive and depart and how many pets use the centers.

The county is not collecting race, ethnicity or age, according to spokesperson Janna Haynes.

Here’s what else the county is doing to improve access to the centers.

The county also wants to track the mode of transportation a person uses to get to the centers so they can make adjustments to the transportation plan and or location of a particular center.

The report found that Sacramento Regional Transit had provided 100 ride passes for county officials to distribute to those in need, but flyers that were also provided with the locations of the centers did not identify which bus lines and stops to use to find the centers.

The report also called for pets to be accepted in more centers and while in transit and called for volunteers who distribute the passes to potentially get reimbursed for gas money.

The report also listed one possible heat-related death, a 70-year-old man found unresponsive outside a gas station. A history of drug use also contributed to the death, according to the county.

Still, the report recommended that public health officials share information with advocates to help those who are unhoused understand the risks of drug use and severe weather.

In June, the county updated its criteria for opening centers to include when an excessive heat warning has been issued. It also factors in three days of “magenta” on a new heat risk model.

“Utilizing the Experimental HeatRisk Model offers an alternative, holistic solution that uses high and low temperature forecasts and adds data from Centers for Disease Control heat health thresholds, local climatology, the duration of heat, and the heat island effect in urban areas,” the county said on its website. “In the past, old heat temperature thresholds were solely based on the Heat Index.”

Asked if they believe the cooling centers are really meeting the needs of people who need to escape the heat, a county spokesperson said: “The County has limited spaces that are feasible to utilize for cooling centers. While the process may not be perfect, we are using the resources we have. The centers do continue to see utilization, however, we continue to evaluate options to increase utilization.”