The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Mercer County and the surrounding area for today, Sept. 6, until 8 p.m. County Executive Brian M. Hughes reminds residents that many cooling sites will be open.
Temperatures today are expected to reach the mid 90s with a heat index (a measure of the combination of heat and humidity) of up to 103 degrees, and Thursday’s forecast is calling for mid-90s temperatures with a heat index of up to 101 degrees. Children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets are most at risk during excessive temperatures.
The New Jersey Department of Health and the Federal Emergency Management Agency offer the following recommendations for staying safe during hot weather:
- Never leave people or pets in a closed car on a warm day.
- People without air conditioning should reach out to NJ 2-1-1 for information regarding Cooling Centers: nj211.org/nj-cooling-centers
- Take cool showers or baths.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Use your oven less to help reduce the temperature in your home.
- If you’re outside, find shade. Wear a hat wide enough to protect your face.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Avoid high-energy activities or working outdoors if possible.
- Check on family members, older adults and neighbors.
- Watch for heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Consider pet safety. If pets are outdoors, make sure they have plenty of cool water and access to comfortable shade. Asphalt and dark pavement can be very hot to your pet’s feet.
- If using a mask, use one that is made of breathable fabric, such as cotton instead of polyester. Don’t wear a mask if you feel yourself overheating or have trouble breathing.
Mercer County Library System branches and municipal senior centers serve as cooling sites, although daily hours of operation vary. These locations are open to all residents. The Ewing, Hickory Corner, Hightstown, Hopewell, Lawrence, Robbinsville, Twin Rivers, and West Windsor library branches are open Monday through Thursday, 9:30am to 8:30pm, and Friday and Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm. The Hollowbrook Branch is open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and from 1 to 5pm. The Ewing, Hickory Corner, Lawrence and West Windsor branches are open from 12:30 to 5pm. Sundays during the school year.
Call individual senior centers for hours of operation, restrictions and accommodations. Call your local senior center if you don’t see it on the list of confirmed cooling sites below.
Mercer County library branch locations
- Ewing, 61 Scotch Road
- Hickory Corner, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor
- Hightstown Memorial, 114 Franklin St.
- Hollowbrook, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing
- Hopewell, 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington
- Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike
- Robbinsville, 42 Allentown-Robbinsville Road
- Twin Rivers, 276 Abbington Drive, East Windsor
- West Windsor, 333 North Post Road
Municipal senior center locations
- Ewing – Hollowbrook Community Center, 320 Hollowbrook Drive; 609-883-1199
- Hamilton Senior Center, 409 Cypress Lane; 609-890-3686;
- Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading St., Pennington; 609-537-0236;
- John O. Wilson Center, 169 Wilfred Avenue, Hamilton; 609-393-6480;
- Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road, Building B; Suzanne Patterson Building, 45 Stockton St.; 609-751-9699
- Robbinsville Township Senior Center, 1117 Route 130; 609-259-1567
- Samuel Naples Senior Center (covering all of Trenton), 611 Chestnut Ave.; 609-989-3462
- West Windsor Senior Center, 271 Clarksville Road; 609-799-9068
For assistance in coping with the heat or to contact your local cooling site, please call the Mercer County Office on Aging at (609) 989-6661 or toll-free at (877) 222-3737. During non-business hours, residents are encouraged to call 911 if they experience heat-related problems.
For more information regarding heat-related emergencies, please visit www.ready.nj.gov, the National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips and Resources page or the National Institute on Aging Hot Weather Safety page.
