New Jersey is once again currently undergoing a dangerous heat wave with temperatures expected to hit 95 – 100 degrees over the next few days, triggering heat advisories — and air quality alerts — in much of the state. Beyond discomfort, the skyrocketing temperatures can pose a serious health hazard. To help keep the community safe, local counties have established designated communal cooling centers in Essex County and beyond. If your air conditioning is broken, doesn’t work well enough, or you don’t have access to AC, we’ve covered where to find cooling centers in Essex County and throughout Northern New Jersey to help keep cool during the heat wave.
We’ve also rounded up cooling centers in Hudson County on our sister site, Hoboken Girl.
According to NJ.com, these cooling centers will be located in senior centers, libraries, and other community facilities. Everyone is encouraged to check up on friends, family, and neighbors who may be at high risk of heat exposure.
Cooling Centers in Essex County
Belleville
- Belleville Senior Citizens Center: 125 Franklin Avenue, 973-450-3422
Bloomfield
- Bloomfield Civic Center: 84 Broad Street, 973-743-9074
Newark
- Bethany Senior Center: 275 West Market Street, 973-733-5739
- Boylan Recreation Center: 916 South Orange Avenue, 973-733-8947
- Fairmont Health: 202 Fairmont Avenue, 973-643-7705. Adults only.
- Hayes Park West Recreation Center: 179 Boyd Street, 973-733-3959
- Ironbound Recreational Facility: 226 Rome Street, 973-424-4101
- Nellie Grier Senior Center: 98-104 Maple Avenue, 973-424-4096
- Rotunda Recreational Center: 75 Clifton Avenue, 973-733-3677
- St. Peter’s Recreation Center: 378 Lyons Avenue, 973-733-8006
- The H.E.L.P. Center: 224 Sussex Avenue, 973-705-7200 (24/7 assistance available)
- Vince Lombardi Center: 201 Bloomfield Avenue, 973-482-5439
Cooling Centers in Bergen County
Bergenfield
- Bergenfield Senior Activity Center: 239 Murray Hill Terrace, 201-387-7212
East Rutherford
- Southwest Senior Activity Center:147 Hackensack Street, 201-935-8920
Hackensack
- Bergen County Administration Building: 1 Bergen County Plaza, 1st Floor, 201-336-7300
Midland Park
- Northwest Senior Activity Center: 46-50 Center Street, 201-445-5690
Cooling Centers in Passaic County
Clifton
- Clifton Main Library: 292 Piaget Avenue, 973-772-5500
- Clifton Public Library Allwood Branch: 44 Lyall Road, 973-471-0555
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Passaic
- Dignity House: 287 Broadway
- Julius Forstman Library: 195 Gregory Avenue, 973-779-0474
- Reid Memorial Library: 80 Third Street, 973-777-6044
- Senior Center: 330 Passaic Street
Paterson
- Paterson Free Public Library: 250 Broadway, 973.321.1223
- Paterson Library Northside Branch: 60 Temple Street, 973.321.1309
- Paterson Library Southside Branch: 930 Main Street, 973.357.3020
- Paterson Library Totowa Branch: 405 Union Avenue, 973.942.7198
Cooling Centers in Morris County
Chatham
- Chatham Library: 214 Main Street, (973) 635-0603
Chester
- Chester Library: 250 West Main Street, 908-879-7612
Denville
- Denville Public Library: 121 Diamond Spring Road, 973.627.6555
East Hanover
- East Hanover Senior Center – 96 Mount Pleasant Avenue, 973-428-3060
Florham Park
- Senior Center: 111 Ridgedale Avenue
Jefferson Township
- Municipal Building: 1033 Weldon Road
Kinnelon
- Kinnelon Municipal Building: 130 Kinnelon Road, 973-838-5401 or 973-838-7573
- Kinnelon Public Library: 132 Kinnelon Road, 973-838-1321
Lincoln Park
- Lincoln Park Borough Hall: 34 Chapel Hill Road, 973-694-6100 or 973-694-3519
Long Hill
- Long Hill Library: 917 Valley Road
Mine Hill
- Mine Hill Civic Center: 12 Baker Street, 973-366-9031
Montville
- Montville Senior Center: 356 Main Road, 973-299-5087
Morris Plains
- Morris Plains Community Center: 51 Jim Fear Drive, 973-538-3455
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Morristown
- Morristown Town Hall/Senior Center: 200 South St, 3rd Floor, 973-292-6690
Parsippany
- Parsippany-Troy Hills Main Library: 449 Halsey Road, 973-887-5150
Randolph
- Randolph Public Library: 28 Calais Road, 973-895-3556
Riverdale
- Riverdale Public Library: 93 Newark Pompton Turnpike, 973-835-5044
Rockaway
- Rockaway Assembly of God: 113 E Main Street, 973-627-0239
- Rockaway Borough Library: 82 East Main Street, 973-627-5709
- Rockaway Township Senior Center: 19 Mt Hope Road, 973-983-2898
- Rockaway Twp Marcella Community Center: 831 Green Pond Road, 973-983-0338
- Municipal Building: 10 Robert Street
Signs of Heat Stroke
According to the CDC, signs of heat stroke include “confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech; loss of consciousness; hot, dry skin, or profuse sweating; seizures; very high body temperature.” Heat stroke can be fatal if it isn’t properly treated.
Should you notice anyone experiencing these symptoms, you should call 911 immediately. Wetting the skin, using cold cloths, soaking clothing in cold water, and sitting in an ice bath are all recommended methods to cool down until help can arrive. Heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat rash, and heat cramps are also potential heat-related issues.
Be sure to drink plenty of water, wear comfortable clothing, and try to limit exertion during these extremely hot days.
