A Checklist for St. Louis Heat Emergencies
When a severe heat wave grips St. Louis, the situation can quickly escalate from uncomfortable to dangerous, especially if it’s combined with a power outage. Being prepared is the best way to ensure the safety and well-being of your family and neighbors.
The City of St. Louis Department of Health and the American Red Cross urge all residents to have a plan. This checklist, curated by BE-Ex STL, provides essential steps for navigating a heat emergency, from preparing for a potential outage to finding community support and using low-tech hacks to stay cool.
Checklist 1: Household Emergency Prep
Before the emergency hits, get your home and supplies in order.
- ☐ Build a Power Outage Kit: Gather flashlights, fresh batteries, a first-aid kit, and any necessary medications.
- ☐ Have a Backup Power Plan:
○ Portable Power Stations: For shorter outages, a battery-based portable power station is a quiet, fume-free, and low-maintenance option perfect for keeping phones, laptops, fans, and essential medical devices (like a CPAP machine) running. They can be recharged via a wall outlet or solar panels.
○ Generators: For longer outages or to power larger appliances like a refrigerator, a fuel-powered generator is more robust. Crucial Safety: NEVER run a generator indoors, in a garage, or less than 20 feet from windows and doors to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Always have working CO alarms.
- ☐ Prepare for Food & Water Safety: Keep coolers and ice packs ready. An unopened refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours; a full freezer for 48 hours. Stock up on bottled water and non-perishable food.
- ☐ Know Your Utility’s Outage Center: Bookmark the Ameren Missouri Outage Map and save their outage reporting number: 1-800-552-7583. Sign up for their text alerts.
Checklist 2: Know Your Community Cooling Resources
You don’t have to go it alone. St. Louis has a network of support to help residents stay cool.
- ☐ Find a Cooling Center: Public libraries, community centers, and other facilities across St. Louis City and County open as free cooling centers during heat warnings.
○ How to Find One: The best way to find an open location near you is to call United Way at 2-1-1 (or 1-800-427-4626). They maintain the most current list for the entire region.(https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/live-work/summer/cooling-centers.cfm).
- ☐ Seek Utility & AC Assistance:
○ Cool Down St. Louis: This vital nonprofit provides utility bill assistance and free air conditioners to eligible seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income households. Contact them at 314-241-0001 or cooldownstlouis.org.
○ LIHEAP: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program offers federal aid. In St. Louis, applications are often handled by community action agencies like the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
- ☐ Check on Neighbors: During a heat emergency, please check on elderly neighbors, families with young children, and those with chronic health conditions who are most at risk.
St. Louis Cooling Resource Directory | Who to Contact | What They Provide |
Emergency Medical Help | 911 | For heat stroke or other serious heat illness. |
Find a Cooling Center | United Way (Call 2-1-1) | The latest list of open cooling centers in the region. |
AC & Utility Bill Help | Cool Down St. Louis (314-241-0001) | Assistance for seniors, disabled, and low-income households. |
Power Outage Information | Ameren Missouri (1-800-552-7583) | Report outages and check restoration status. |
General Energy Assistance | LIHEAP (via Urban League, etc.) | Federal program for utility bill assistance. |
Checklist 3: Low-Tech, High-Impact Cooling Hacks
If the power is out, these simple tricks can make a big difference.
- ☐ Create a Cross-Breeze: Open windows on opposite sides of your home to let air flow through. At night, when temperatures drop, use a box fan facing in on the cool side of the house and another facing out on the warm side to flush hot air
out.
- ☐ The “DIY Air Conditioner”: Place a large bowl of ice or frozen water bottles in front of a portable, battery-powered fan. The air blowing over the ice will create a surprisingly cool mist.
- ☐ Stay Hydrated and Cool Down with Water: Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Take cool showers or baths, and apply cool, wet cloths to your pulse points (wrists, neck).
- ☐ Block the Sun: Keep blinds and curtains closed during the day. If you have to be outside, wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
- ☐ Head Downstairs: Since heat rises, the lowest level or basement of your home will be the coolest area.
Preparation is your best defense against a heat emergency. By taking these steps, you can ensure a safer and more comfortable summer for yourself and the entire St. Louis community.