A day after the first heat-related death of the year in Dallas County was announced; the City of Dallas announced the opening of two Beat the Heat centers.
The announcement was scheduled well before the death of an adult from this week’s heat.
The Beat the Heat Centers are paid for by Reliant Energy. The Houston-based energy company also will spend $900,000 this year to assist Texans who need help paying their summer electricity bills through its Community Assistance by Reliant Energy (CARE) program.
Since 2005, the company has spent $9 million on the CARE program, to those who qualify for assistance.
Reliant helps fund Beat the Heat centers at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in South Dallas and the West Dallas Multipurpose Center. The company also funds centers in Houston and Corpus Christi.
But for Mayor Mike Rawlings and county health director Zach Thompson, who attended the kick-off event, they concern is that elderly, low income Dallas residents seek the help that’s being offered at the centers and through the CARE program.
“Most adults think that they’re Texas tough and they really can’t deal with this extreme heat,” Thompson said.
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“It’s extremely important, we don’t want them to die because of heat-related illnesses,” the mayor said. “To have these cool down centers, to have this CARE program makes a big difference.”
Thompson said residents who may be in trouble should contact the city, county, and Reliant to see what can be done to pay their bills or improve their a/c options at home.
The Beat the Heat centers will remain open until Sept. 30.
