Wakefield Library Named As Cooling Station Ahead Of Heat Advisory

WAKEFIELD, MA — Wakefield community members should head to the Beebe Library in town if they need a place to cool off amid high temperatures in the coming days, town officials said on Wednesday.

The town designated the library as a cooling station late Wednesday morning. A heat advisory is now scheduled to take effect at 11 a.m. on Thursday as temperatures climb, potentially pushing heat index values past 100 degrees, according to Accuweather.

The particularly hot weather is forecast to linger in Wakefield through the weekend.

The Beebe Library is located at 345 Main Street in Wakefield. Its hours of operation in the upcoming days are as follows:

• Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

State officials at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) are offering tips to stay safe during extreme heat. Among those, individuals should ensure that they stay hydrated while avoiding strenuous activity if possible.

Heat waves have been linked to spikes in emergency calls in the past. Recently, Boston Emergency Medical Services noted a 20% increase over average daily calls between July 19 and July 25 of this year while high temperatures gripped the region.

Boston EMS responded to at least 80 directly heat-related calls during that span, according to the agency.