If Allen Patrick needs air conditioning, he said he knows where he needs to go — the Homewood Healthy Active Living Senior Center, one of six cooling centers CitiParks opened in Pittsburgh for this week’s heat wave.

Temperatures across Western Pennsylvania could reach 100 degrees this week for the first time in almost 30 years, according to Matt Brudy, meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Moon.

Brudy said residents need to be prepared, noting that heat was the No. 1 weather-related killer last year. He said it’s important to stay hydrated, dress appropriately, check on family and friends who might be especially susceptible to the heat, and know where cooling centers and other services are available to beat the heat.

“It’s going to be hot for a long period of time,” Brudy said of the duration of the heat wave, adding that could put a strain on the power grid and potentially lead to heat-related illnesses if home cooling units go on the fritz.

Patrick, 69, of Penn Hills, doesn’t have air conditioning in his room even though there are three air conditioners in his house.

“I like it hot anyway,” he said.

An estimated 6.2% of homes in the Pittsburgh region don’t have air conditioning at all, amounting to about 65,000 homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Sometimes, (it) gets unbearable,” Patrick said of the lack of air conditioning in his room. “If it’s real bad (and) I can’t get anywhere … I have a sprinkler system.”

Patrick said he prefers going to the cooling center at the Homewood HAL Senior Center, where he can stay cool, engage in fellowship and play cards.

“The cooling center (in Homewood) has been instrumental in helping our folks deal with the heat,” said Melinda McCormick, director of the Homewood senior center for nearly 30 years.

Other CitiParks city cooling centers are located in senior centers in Beechview, Brighton Heights, Greenfield, Sheraden and South Side.

This week, the centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. — except for Wednesday, when hours will be curtailed to noon to 7 p.m. because of the Juneteenth holiday.

Outside Pittsburgh, many senior centers said they would welcome people of all ages this week who need refuge from the scorching heat, though few are planning extended hours.

Armstrong County Area Agency on Aging, which operates senior centers in Freeport, Apollo, Leechburg and Kittanning, will welcome anyone — though only adults 60 and older can get a meal. Regular hours run from around 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Avonmore, East Vandergrift and New Kensington centers for active adults in Westmoreland County will also be open to non-seniors this week as cooling centers. These centers are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Local libraries may also be an option, and many municipalities are making their facilities available for residents to cool off.

Penn Hills Manager Scott Andrejchak said, if the need arises, the municipality may consider opening its government center for cooling. Emergency responders are monitoring the situation, he said.

Tarentum has partnered with the Salvation Army (Brackenridge) and Eureka Community Ambulance Service to provide free water to people while supplies last.

Starting Tuesday, they’ll distribute a pallet of water from Eureka’s Station on East Third Ave. People are limited to six bottles per household a day.

On Thursday and Friday, the borough is teaming with the VFW Post 5758 on East Fourth Ave., to offer a cooling station. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Together, we are committed to supporting our community,” Tarentum Manager Dwight Boddorf said.

The Plum Senior Center will stay open until 6 p.m., according to Jim Sims, the borough’s emergency management coordinator. Also in Plum the Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department social hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. all week except for Thursday, when it will close at 4:30 p.m.

Sims said there is a plan in place to bring other facilities, such as schools and churches, online if needed. The main concern is if there are power outages, which Duquesne Light had raised as a possibility before the heat wave began. Storms Monday left thousands of customers without power into Tuesday morning.

The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania has asked residents to take three steps to stay safe amid the heat wave — slow down, stay hydrated and spend time indoors.

The heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Moon for Western Pennsylvania is in effect until 8 p.m. Friday.

Staff writers Jack Troy, Tawnya Panizzi and Brian C. Rittmeyer contributed.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)