Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Heat Warnings

 

Get ready for the heat! (photo courtesy of LA Animal Services)

While residents of Houston are deluged with rain, the National Weather Service has forecast record heat for Los Angeles. Yesterday was relatively mild in the midtown area (though it was very hot in the San Fernando Valley), but it’s already starting to heat up today. CD4 Councilmember David Ryu’s office sent out a the following message reminding everyone that a heat wave that poses a “dangerous situation” and urged residents to take precautions.

“Officials said the hot, dry conditions will heighten the fire risk for this week and is expected to worsen before it gets better. This record breaking heat wave is expected to last through the end of the week, and with expected temperatures reaching 108 degrees in the valleys, mountains, and deserts.

In anticipation of the heat wave, the City of Los Angeles extended the hours of select cooling centers throughout the city from Sunday-Wednesday. The list of centers, along with tips for staying cool, are available at emergency.lacity.org/heat or by calling 311. We are also encouraging Angelenos to do their part to save energy and help avoid electricity shortages. Tips for saving energy are available at www.myladwp.com/saveenergyla.

Beat the Heat Tips:

  • Drink plenty of cool water! Stay hydrated.
  • Wear loose, light colored clothing that will keep you cool. Wear sunscreen and a hat for protection.
  • Check on neighbors who might be vulnerable to the heat, especially those without air conditioning.
  • Never leave children or pets in a car – not even for one minute. Temperatures inside a car can quickly skyrocket to deadly levels.
  • If you work or play outside, take frequent breaks to hydrate and cool off in the shade.
  • Don’t forget the pets! Keep pets indoors if possible. If kept outside, give them plenty of water and shade to rest in.
  • Symptoms of heat-related illness include dizziness, fatigue, faintness, headaches, muscle cramps, and increased thirst. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention.

Also, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has issued an official heat alert for this week, including notice of a statewide Flex Alert between 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. today:

LADWP urges customers to reduce energy use where possible while staying safe and comfortable. By conserving, customers can help reduce the strain on the power grid and minimize the risk of power outages in their neighborhood. Power demand rises during heat waves as more customers operate air conditioners all at once, causing other appliances to work harder in order to perform and increasing the strain on neighborhood power distribution equipment.

LADWP offers customers the following highly effective energy conservation measures:

  • Adjust thermostat to 78 degrees to reduce energy usage during the hottest hours of the day when air conditioning systems have to work hardest to cool.
  • Limit the use of appliances during peak hours of the day- use washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other heavy appliances during evening hours.
  • Close draperies, shades or blinds during the heat of the day to reduce the extra heat from direct sunlight.
  • Ventilate your home by opening windows and doors to clear out the heat and allow cooler air to circulate.
  • Turn off lights and equipment when they are not in use.
  • Unplug “energy vampires” like cell phone chargers, DVD players, microwave ovens and other appliances that use energy even when turned off or in sleep mode.
  • LADWP forecasts a peak demand of 5,811 megawatts (MW) today, which would be a record high for 2017. The all-time peak demand is 6,396 MW reached in September 2014.
  • Currently, approximately 435 customers out of 1.4 million are without power citywide due to local issues on the distribution system. LADWP crews are working round-the-clock and at the ready to respond to any power outages and customer calls reporting service interruptions.

To report any loss of power, call 1-800-DIAL-DWP. To check status of outages, see www.ladwp.com, or follow LADWP on Twitter @LADWP.

For more energy-saving tips, visit www.ladwp.com/EEtips. To read the City of Los Angeles’ Hot Weather Bulletin and for a list of cooling centers, see http://emergency.lacity.org/heat.

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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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