Delaware Public Media | By Quinn Kirkpatrick | July 25, 2023

Extreme weather conditions are becoming more common, but community resources to help people cope are spread thin.

The National Weather Service forecast for Delaware shows temperatures hovering in the upper 90s for the remainder of the week, with the heat index Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday hitting 104 degrees.

Forecasting allows for some preparation, but a lack of widespread resources still leaves many at risk for heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke.

In recent years, organizations like Delaware Interfaith Power & Light and the Delaware Resilience Hub have worked with other community institutions to open cooling centers across the state – offering air conditioned space and water to the public.

DeIPL Executive Director Aaron Sharpe says despite community entities doing their best, a better long-term framework is needed.

“We won’t be able to respond to future crises in the middle of an extreme weather event. So it’s important for us to lay the groundwork for these life-saving measures today, instead of next year,” explained Sharpe.

Delaware Resilience Hub shares that sentiment. It was founded following the disastrous effects Hurricane Ida had on Wilmington, when over 200 people were forced to evacuate their homes due to flooding.

Resilience Hubs are community spaces that are run by the community and designed to meet the needs of the community before, during and after an emergency event.

DeIPL specifically works to mobilize faith organizations to take action on climate change. They recently received a small grant from Delmarva Power to launch a pilot, church-based cooling center at Salem United Methodist Church in Newark.

Sharpe says they hope to expand to more faith organizations in Wilmington, where the urbanized area experiences even higher temperatures.

“We know that the heat island effect is really pronounced in Wilmington. And so I really could see this cooling center model being replicated across the city, and across the state, to help vulnerable Delawareans-especially seniors and those with pre-existing conditions,” said Sharpe.

During the heatwave earlier this month, the Delaware Resilience Hub was able to open a cooling station at the Resurrection Center in Wilmington, where the heat index brought temperatures up to nearly 100 degrees.

The heat island effect occurs in urbanized areas, like Wilmington, when large structures like buildings and roads absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, daytime temperatures in urban areas are about 1–7°F higher than temperatures in outlying areas with more natural landscapes and greenspaces.

Due to limited resources, the Salem Church cooling center is only able to open during official heat emergencies, and can only serve seniors and those with pre-existing conditions.

The church is calling on other faith organizations to aid in staffing the cooling center, and providing transportation for seniors who need help accessing the resource.

While seniors and those with certain chronic conditions are most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, extreme temperatures are dangerous for everyone. Getting out of the sun and staying hydrated are the best ways to avoid a negative outcome.

Most of Delaware’s public libraries, including all located in New Castle County, act as designated cooling centers.

And Delaware 2-1-1 can connect Delawareans to statewide resources, including nearby cooling centers and where to access clean water.

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