Beverly Opens Cooling Center Amid Searing Heat Emergency

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly has opened the police station lobby to the public on Friday and Saturday because of the extreme heat.

The center at 175 Elliot Street will be open for all residents until 6 p.m. on Saturday for those who are in need of hydration and air conditioning with the heat index expected to approach 100 degrees.

"Don't hesitate to call 911 if you are concerned about someone in distress," Beverly officials said.

All other city buildings will be open during normal business hours.

The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels through a combination of air temperature and humidity. In general, parts of the state from Boston through the Merrimack Valley will see the
highest heat index values through Saturday.

The heat advisory will be in effect until Saturday night, and the advisory is meant to alert people to stay cool and hydrated and to keep an eye on vulnerable relatives like children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.

Many cities and towns are opening cooling centers at libraries and other community buildings to help residents escape dangerous heat.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)