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New Castle County officials stress nonprofit-led cooling centers, county steps in only for emergencies
Summary
At a July 8 Public Safety Committee meeting, New Castle County emergency management outlined coordination with nonprofits, the University of Delaware and state agencies on cooling centers as heat days rise; libraries can serve as emergency cooling sites but the county said regular operations remain nonprofit-led.
NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. — New Castle County emergency management told the county’s Public Safety Committee on July 8 that cooling centers across the county are run primarily by nonprofits and that the county will formally open public facilities, including libraries, only when nonprofit capacity is exceeded or an emergency is declared.
The presentation by Chris Hodgen, coordinator for New Castle County Emergency Management, described a multi-agency task force that meets weekly through much of the year and daily during heat waves, and outlined efforts to coordinate sites, transportation and data so residents without air conditioning can find relief.
Hodgen said the county has documented a warming trend and is adapting operations. “The average annual temperature in New Castle County has risen over 3 degrees in the twentieth century,” Hodgen said, and he cited forecasts showing more frequent days that exceed 95 degrees. He said nonprofit groups such as Friendship House currently lead cooling-site activations and that the county’s role is primarily coordination, logistics and stepping in when nonprofits are overrun.
Why it matters: County staff and council…
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