Your NYC guide to staying safe, cool and alive during the summer's first heat wave

Summer in the city has barely gotten underway and New Yorkers are already wading through the season’s first heat wave. Temperatures are expected in the 90s through Wednesday and the heat index — an indicator of how hot it feels — threatens to top 100 degrees on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The heat wave has prompted warnings from city and state officials that extreme heat isn’t just swampy and unpleasant, but also a public health risk.

“This extreme heat will not just be uncomfortable and oppressive, it will be brutal and it will be dangerous to those who spend extended periods outside,” Mayor Eric Adams cautioned as the city’s departments of health and emergency management issued an extreme heat warning.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for about half the state’s counties, including the five boroughs.

The city logs more than 500 heat-related deaths, on average, each summer and heat-related emergency department visits were already starting to tick up over the weekend, with 18 logged on Saturday, according to city data. But not every NYC neighborhood or resident is at equal risk.

The city is rolling out plenty of tips and resources on how to safely weather the heat, as well as information on who’s at highest risk for heat-related illness and how to avoid it.

Here’s what you need to know now about staying cool — and safe.

First and foremost, stay hydrated

The city health department recommends drinking plenty of water, whether you’re braving the heat and humidity outdoors or staying inside — and regardless of whether you feel thirsty. The health department also recommends avoiding dehydrating drinks with alcohol, caffeine or sugar.

For those staying inside, the city suggests keeping things cool by turning on the AC, drawing the blinds and taking a cool shower, while avoiding using the stove or oven if possible.

New Yorkers who work outside are at higher risk of complications from extreme heat, according to the city health department. Health officials advise those who go outside to avoid strenuous activity if possible — or to take frequent breaks in the shade if that’s not an option. Other tips to stay cool include wearing light, loose-fitting clothes, a hat and sunblock, and trying not to work in the hottest part of the day.

How to spot the signs of heat-related illness

NYC Emergency Management warns that heat stroke is a serious condition that takes place when the body’s temperature rises quickly and merits a call to 911. The signs that you or someone else is suffering from heat stroke include hot, dry skin, confusion or hallucinations, loss of consciousness, nausea, trouble breathing, weakness and dizziness.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said is caused by an excessive loss of water and salt, include heavy sweating, clammy skin, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, headaches, fatigue and nausea.

According to Emergency Management, anyone experiencing these symptoms should try to get to a cool place, drink plenty of water and take off any excess clothing.

Which New Yorkers are most at risk in a heat wave?

In addition to those working outside, New Yorkers who are over 60, have a chronic health condition or live in homes without air conditioning are at higher risk for heat-related complications, city data shows. Black New Yorkers also die from heat-related complications at higher rates than other groups.

Which neighborhoods are the coolest… and hottest?

The city has given each neighborhood a rating from 1 to 5 based on how vulnerable residents are to extreme heat. The city considers environmental factors such as green space and surface temperature (which can surge in areas covered in pavement or drop in areas blanketed in shrubbery), as well as circumstances that may put residents at higher risk, such as median income, race and access to air conditioning. Much of Staten Island and lower Manhattan are staying cool, whereas neighborhoods like Brownsville, Brooklyn and Jamaica, Queens are sweating it out — but the city cautions that the heat vulnerability index doesn’t indicate individual risk.

Preparing for extreme heat

NYC Emergency Management isn’t just planning for extreme heat; the agency is also urging New Yorkers to create their extreme heat plans ahead of time. That includes preparing for a potential blackout and, if necessary, notifying your utility company about any medical devices that could be affected by a power outage.

Being prepared can also include talking to a doctor about individual risk from extreme heat, checking in on family members and neighbors and, perhaps most importantly, just giving in and getting an air conditioner, according to city officials.

Of course, that last one can be expensive, but there are some free options.

Staying cool in NYC (on a budget)

The window to apply for a free AC through the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program, which opened in April, unfortunately closed abruptly on Monday, right in the thick of the heat wave, raising concerns from advocates for older adults.

A separate, new state program offers AC subsidies to New Yorkers with persistent asthma who are enrolled in the Essential Plan, a public insurance program for people with lower incomes.

If that’s not you, it might be wise to check on whether there are still any free ACs available through your local Facebook Buy Nothing group (or a cheap one on Marketplace).

Visit a cooling center

If all else fails, there’s always the city’s growing network of cooling centers — typically places like libraries and senior centers that will let people enjoy their air conditioning when it’s too hot out. The city’s Cool Options site lets you search by location. Adams also suggested just finding anywhere nearby that will let you use their AC, whether it’s a coffee shop, a mall or a friend’s apartment.

Take a dip

The city’s public pools open Friday, so they will be available to provide some relief for future heat waves — but not this one — with operating hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the rest of the summer. Find a full list of city pools here.