Hot Weather

Heat Can Cause Serious Illness

Heat illnesses can be deadly. On very hot days, sometimes your body temperature control systems can't keep up and your body temperature can get dangerously high. This makes you at greater risk for serious heat illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. Dial 9-1-1 or get immediate medical help if you are concerned about your health or someone else's health when it's hot outside.

Know the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses
Find tips on how to stay safe when it's hot outside

Find Somewhere to Cool off This Summer

Use the map below to find somewhere to take a break in air conditioning or splash in cool water. Please call the site before you go to confirm it is open and if there are entry fees. If you're going to a lake or pond, be sure to look for cyanobacteria blooms before going in the water. If you need more help finding or getting to a cooling site, please call 2-1-1. Swimming holes are typically not displayed on this map, but they may provide a safe option when following these water safety tips.

Help us keep the map updated. Submit information about a new site, update a site on the map or let us know if a site has been recently activated.

Fill out the Community Cooling Site Form

See a list of cooling sites and download maps of cooling sites

County Maps of Cooling Sites

Note that Chittenden County does not include cooling sites in Burlington. There is a separate map for the City of Burlington below.

Planning to print? These maps look best printed on 11x17" paper.

City/Town Maps of Cooling Sites

Planning to print? These maps look best printed on 8.5x11" paper.

City of Burlington | Town of Middlebury | City of Montpelier | City of Saint Albans

List of Cooling Sites by Town

Type the town name in the search bar to filter by town.

Show entries

Search:

Town	Location	Address	Phone	Type
Addison	D.A.R. State Park Campground	6750 VT-17 W	802-759-2354	Recreation sites with water access that usually charge an entry fee
Albany	Albany Public Library	830 Main St	802-755-6107	Indoor cooling site - open during normal hours
Alburgh	Alburg Dunes State Park	151 Coon Point Rd	802-796-4170	Recreation sites with water access that usually charge an entry fee
Alburgh	Alburgh Fire Station	60 Firehouse Rd	802-769-3402	Occasional cooling facilities (call first!)
Alburgh	Alburgh Public Library	128 S Main St	802-796-6077	Indoor cooling site - open during normal hours
Arlington	Arlington Recreation Park	Recreation Park Rd	802-375-2332	Free recreation sites with water access
Arlington	Arlington Town Office	3828 VT-7A	802-379-9916	Occasional cooling facilities (call first!)
Arlington	Martha Canfield Memorial Free Library	528 East Arlington Rd	802-375-6153	Indoor cooling site - open during normal hours
Ascutney	Martin Memorial Hall	5259 US-5	802-674-2626	Indoor cooling site - open during normal hours
Ascutney	Weathersfield Proctor Library	5181 US-5	802-674-2863	Indoor cooling site - open during normal hours

Showing 1 to 10 of 448 entries

Previous1 2 3 4 5…45Next

If the map is not loading, you can try opening it in a new window or see if it will load in a different web browser. If neither works, you may need to clear your browser cache. Please let us know if you have problems loading the map.

Everyone is at Risk for Heat Illnesses and Some People are at Higher Risk

Heat illnesses are a real danger, even here in our northern climate. Vermonters go to the emergency room for heat illnesses just as often as people in Maryland. Being young does not protect you from heat illness. In fact, Vermonters between the ages of 15 and 34 have a greater risk of going to the emergency room for a heat-related reason compared to adults aged 35 to 65.

In general, risk for heat illnesses is greater for people with:

More exposure to hot conditions – especially outdoor workers and hobbyists, urban residents and people experiencing homelessness
More sensitivity to heat exposure – anyone not accustomed to hot weather, older adults and young children, people who are overweight or have a chronic medical condition (for example, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes), and people using recreational drugs, alcohol or some prescription medications
Limited resources – especially people who live alone, have limited transportation options, have no air conditioning or can’t afford to run their air conditioner

People who feel unwell or faint in hot weather are also at risk of serious or deadly falls.

People with chronic conditions may not show typical signs of heat illness, but rather worsened symptoms of their condition. If you or someone you know has a potentially dangerous chronic condition and begins to feel sick during a hot day, pay very close attention. Get immediate medical help if you have concerns about someone's condition.

Climate change will increase the number of dangerously hot days

Vermonters are at greater risk for serious heat-related illnesses, and even death, when the statewide average temperature reaches 87°F or hotter. Since 2000, Vermont has had an average of seven hot days per year when the temperature reached 87°F or hotter.

Climate models from the Vermont State Climate Office predict 15 to 20 hot days per year by mid-century, and 20 to 34 hot days per year by the end of the century. As the climate warms and there are more hot days, more heat illnesses and deaths will occur. Some of these impacts can be avoided by taking actions to prepare and adapt.

Learn more about hot weather impacts and adaptation strategies

Heat Safety Tips - How to Stay Safe When it's Hot Outside

Never leave children, people with disabilities or pets inside a parked vehicle when it's hot. The sun can turn a vehicle into an oven within minutes, even if it doesn’t feel hot outside.

Stay cool

Stay hydrated

Stay informed

Listen to your body

Don't be a stranger

Cool your home

Download a printable version of the Heat Safety Tips fact sheet

Preparing Your Home, Community and Worksite for Hot Weather

Modify your home for hot weather

Limit use of the stove, oven and other heat-generating appliances during hot weather.
Seal air leaks and increase insulation to keep buildings cooler in summer (and warmer in winter).
Plant trees and shrubs around buildings to increase summer shade and cooling breezes.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs that stay much cooler and save energy.
Install a heat pump or efficient air conditioner.
Learn more about ways to keep your home cool at Efficiency Vermont.

Prepare and protect your community

Create a community response plan that identifies protective actions to take on hot days.
Open a cooling center by following the community cooling center guidance.
Send out messages via social media or Front Porch Form to communicate to your community about how to prepare for hot weather, what to do, and what resources are available.
Mobilize local care networks to check on people at high risk for heat illness.
Limit or cancel outdoor job, school or extracurricular activities, including athletic practices, games and other outdoor events.
Have a plan for hot weather by following the preparedness guidance for schools and child care providers.
Plant trees and shrubs, and reduce paved surfaces to keep urbanized areas cooler.
Promote energy-efficient building design, including use of cool roofs and pavements.

List of Guidance Documents for Partners

Keep outdoor workers safe

Translated Information

More Information

Heat safety resources

Resource	Description
Heat Illnesses and First Aid	Read about what to do if someone is experiencing heat illness symptoms.
Vermont Heat Vulnerability Index Maps	The Index draws together 17 different measures of vulnerability in six different themes: population, socioeconomic, health, environmental, climate, and heat illness. These measures are combined to measure the overall vulnerability of Vermont towns to heat-related events.
Extreme Heat and Health	Learn more from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention about how to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed.
Climate Change and Heat Impacts on Health	This fact sheet from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention talks about actions we can take to prepare for climate change and extreme heat events.
National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Toolkit	The NIHHIS is an integrated system and an interagency partnership with the goal to reduce morbidity and mortality due to extreme heat.
Heat Impacts on Health in Vermont	This document details the association of summer temperatures with heat-related illness and mortality in Vermont.
Heat Vulnerability in Vermont	This report provides a description of and rationale for the methods used to produce the Vermont Heat Vulnerability Index.
Vermont Heat Vulnerability Index	This is a two-page summary description of the Vermont Heat Vulnerability Index.
Heat Safety Tips	This fact sheet has steps you can take to keep yourself and your friends and family safe from heat.
Climate Change and Hot Weather	This fact sheet describes the impacts climate change will have on the number of hot days in Vermont, what health impacts heat has on Vermonters, and adaptation strategies for individuals, communities, businesses, and other organizations.
Illness and Death Due to Hot and Cold Weather	A data brief that illustrates the burden of heat-related versus cold-related illness and death in general, as well as in terms of whether or not the illness or death occurred at home.
Explore Vermont Heat Data	Data dashboard with heat and health data, near-real time heat data and historic trend data

Topics:

Climate Change | Outdoor Safety

Last Updated: December 4, 2024

Climate & Health