Multnomah County, Oregon

06/21/2026

☀ As summer temperatures rise, remember that kids are more sensitive to extreme heat and dehydration than adults. That's why it's important to limit the time young children spend outdoors in hot weather, especially if they are being active.

🚗 CAR SAFETY: Never leave children in a car on a hot day. And when you arrive at a hot car, let it cool down before putting children inside. It takes a very short amount of time for a child to overheat. If you see a child alone in a locked vehicle on a hot day, call 911.

🪟WINDOW SAFETY: While windows are open to catch a breeze, remember to take steps to prevent accidental window falls for children.

CHECKLIST:
✔Make sure children drink plenty of water during and after play.
✔Dress children in light, loose-fitting clothing
✔Find a cool place for children to rest and sleep.

MORE: multco.us/info/hot-weather-information-children-and-parents

06/21/2026

☀ Summer is officially here! As we face increasingly hotter summers, taking steps toward preparedness — no matter how big or small — can make a meaningful difference.

When temperatures climb into the double or triple digits, check on neighbors, friends and family, especially those who may be more vulnerable to the heat.

Check on:
✔People aged 50+, especially those living without air conditioning
✔Babies and toddlers
✔Pregnant women
✔People with medical conditions or medications that increase heat sensitivity
✔People who work in hot indoor or outdoor environments

Good reminders:
✔Cooling off for a little while makes a big difference.
✔Getting to a cool place near you, even for a few hours, is helpful.

🗺️ Need a cool place to go? Visit one of the many cool spaces on our interactive map: link.multco.us/interactive-map-cool-spaces

🧊People in Portland can call 311 or visit the City of Portland’s website to check your eligibility for a free air conditioning unit by June 30, 2026: www.portland.gov/bps/cleanenergy/cooling-portland/apply-cooling-unit

06/18/2026

➡️ A friendly reminder that most Multnomah County services offered over email, phone, and in-person will be unavailable on Friday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. For holiday closure details visit:

A majority of services offered over email, phone, and in-person will be unavailable on Friday, June 19.

06/16/2026

“It’s a blessing being a part of this, and being able to reach out and offer help,” said Les, a peer wellness specialist and outreach worker with The Peer Company. He was among the dozens of street outreach workers helping people experiencing homelessness during the recent heatwave.

During extreme heat, Multnomah County's Homeless Services Department coordinates enhanced heat-focused street outreach to support people experiencing homelessness across Multnomah County, providing life-saving water and cooling supplies.

During the recent record-breaking heatwave, 37 organizations went out into the community to do that work. The County provided them with a total of 29,712 water bottles, 2,480 cooling towels and other cooling gear to distribute to people in need.

➡️Read more: https://multco.us/news/it-blessing-county-coordinates-heat-focused-street-outreach-during-june-heatwave

06/16/2026

📣Multnomah County partners with local senior centers and Meals on Wheels People Dining Centers. These air conditioned spaces offer more than just a reprieve from the heat — they provide opportunities for connection and help reduce social isolation.

Heat can pose a higher risk to older adults, seniors, and people who live alone without air conditioning.

Resources to stay cool and connected:
🗺️ Interactive Cooling Map (libraries, pools, splash pads, community centers and more): link.multco.us/interactive-map-cool-spaces
🍽️ Meals on Wheels People Dining Centers: mowp.org/what-we-do/dining-centers/ (always check hours/locations before you go)
📞 Aging, Disability and Resource Connection (ADRC) Helpline (local senior center info & other resources): 503-988-3646

06/15/2026

🚨 Under Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHA) rules, outdoor workers are entitled to:

⛱️ Shade: A shaded or cooled area to rest
⏱️ Breaks: Regular breaks to cool down
💧 Water: Access to plenty of water

Employers are responsible for protecting their workers. People who work outside are encouraged to drink plenty of water and take breaks in the shade.

More info: osha.oregon.gov/pages/topics/heat-stress.aspx

06/15/2026

📣 SHARE: In addition to dozens of libraries, misting stations, community centers and other cool spaces already open in Multnomah County, two cooling centers will open from noon to 9 PM today, Monday, June 15:

📍Multnomah County East Building, 600 NE 8th St, Gresham, operated by Cultivate Initiatives

📍Bud Clark Commons, 650 NW Irving St., Portland, operated by Transition Projects

The cooling centers opening today will provide food and water. Pets are welcome.

TriMet will not turn away anyone who is traveling to and from a cooling center who is unable to pay fare between 11 AM and 10 PM today (Monday, June 15). Please tell your bus operator that you're heading to or from a cooling center.

Four Multnomah County Libraries will stay open until 8 PM tonight, Monday, June 15 — two hours longer than their usual schedule:

✅ Albina Library, 205 NE Russell St, Portland
✅ Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave, Portland
✅ East County Library, 475 NW Division St, Gresham
✅ Midland Library, 805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland

--Resources to stay cool and connected--

🗺️ Interactive Cooling Map (libraries, pools, splash pads, community centers and more) 🔗 link.multco.us/interactive-map-cool-spaces

🍽️ Meals on Wheels People Dining Centers 🔗 mowp.org/what-we-do/dining-centers Always check hours/locations before you go.

📞 Aging, Disability and Resource Connection (ADRC) Helpline (local senior center info & other resources): 503-988-3646

06/14/2026

🌬️ Community centers, misting stations, and malls, oh my! Help get the word out that dozens of cool spaces across Multnomah County are open today to help beat the heat. Visit our interactive cooling map for details, including hours of operation: link.multco.us/interactive-map-cool-spaces

Seventeen of our Multnomah County Library locations are also great places to cool off! In addition to the normal library schedule, four locations will extend their hours to 8 p.m. tonight, Sunday, June 14 — two hours longer than usual.

➡️ Albina Library, 205 N.E. Russell St., Portland
➡️ Central Library, 801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland
➡️ East County Library, 475 N.W. Division St., Gresham
➡️ Midland Library, 805 S.E 122nd Ave., Portland

Remember: Even an hour or two in a cool space can make all the difference.

If you need help locating a cool space, you can call 3-1-1 between now and 8 p.m. today (June 14).

As always, be sure to visit multco.us/hot for hot weather safety.

06/13/2026

☀ Extreme heat safety begins long before the summer temperatures arrive. ☀

Well ahead of the summer heat, Multnomah County's Department of County Human Services reached out to more than 850 local property managers and landlords — many in East County — to share tips and resources about heat safety, energy efficiency programs, water leak repairs and other direct tenant supports to help them navigate heat waves and other emergencies.

💻 Property managers can sign up for a free, heat preparedness webinar at: bit.ly/4xxisnK

And don’t forget about these resources for everyone:
✔ Information about local places to stay cool and heat safety: multco.us/hot
✔ The County's Aging, Disability, and Resource Connection (ADRC) Helpline links seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers to essential community resources: 503-988-3646