In response to the National Weather Service’s heat advisory alert the City of Niles has opened its cooling center located at the Niles Fire Station Complex, 1345 E. Main St.

Mayor Mike McCauslin said that the Niles cooling center will open automatically whenever the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory for our area or when temperatures rise to 90 degrees or more. McCauslin has directed the Niles cooling center to be opened for the next three to four days based on projected daily temperatures for the upcoming week.

In addition, the Niles Dial A Ride Transportation System will offer one complimentary ride per person per day to and from the Niles cooling center for those who need relief from the heat, but have no transportation to the center. Dial A Ride will process calls to the cooling center along with its normal operations and residents are advised to call early as the response time for pick-ups may be more than an hour, depending on bus availabilities. Please be advised that in an emergency situation residents should call 911 for immediate assistance. To request non-emergency transportation to the Niles Cooling Center call the Dial A Ride offices at (269) 684-5150.

The cooling center, located inside Niles City Council chambers, is air-conditioned. Bottled water will be available for anyone who needs to find relief from the heat. For more information, please contact the Niles Fire Department at (269) 683-2374.