New Jersey is currently undergoing another dangerous heat wave with another excessive heat watch this week, triggering heat advisories — and air quality alerts — in much of the state. Beyond discomfort, the skyrocketing temperatures can pose a serious health hazard. To help keep the community safe, local counties have established designated communal cooling centers in Hudson County and beyond. Read on for more about cooling resources and cooling centers in Hudson County and throughout Northern New Jersey.
Know of another cooling center that’s not on this list? Please email [email protected].
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has shared a Heat Hub website which serves as a central hub for information about weather and state-provided resources to beat the heat.
We’ve also rounded up where to find cooling centers in Essex County on our sister site, The Montclair Girl. Many of these cooling centers will be located in senior centers, libraries, and other community facilities. Everyone is encouraged to check up on friends, family, and neighbors who may be at high risk of heat exposure and other heat-induced illnesses.
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Cooling Centers in Hudson County
These are the designated cooling centers that local governments will open should the need arise. Please confirm the operating hours before heading over.
Bayonne
- 4th Street Senior Center: 16 West 4th Street
- 56th Street Senior Center: 329 56th Street Avenue B, 201-437-5996
- Bayonne City Hall: 630 Avenue C, 201-858-6000
- Bayonne Public Library: 697 Avenue C., 201-858-6970
- Bayonne Uptown Senior Center: 329 Avenue B, 201-437-5996
East Newark
- East Newark Recreation Center: 44 Central Avenue
- East Newark Senior Center: 37 President Street, 973-481-3454
Guttenberg
- Centennial Towers: 6800 Park Avenue, 201-861-0900
- Golden Gardens Community Center: 136 69th Street
- Guttenberg Community Center: 136 69th Street
- Guttenberg Town Hall: 6808 Park Avenue, 201-868-2315
- Herman G. Klein Towers: 7005 Boulevard East
- Joseph P. Macaluso Towers: 400 68th Street, 201-861-0504
Harrison
- Harrison Heat Emergency Assistance: 973-483-4100
- Harrison Senior Center: 221 Harrison Avenue, 973-268-2463
Hoboken
- Hoboken Multi-Service Center: 124 Grand Street, 201-420-2054
- Hoboken Shelter: 300 Bloomfield Street, 201-656-5069
Jersey City
- GSCDC Hudson CASA Drop-In Center: 514 Newark Avenue, 201-604-2600
- Hudson County Community Wellness Center: 124 Claremont Avenue, 201-420-7944
- Joseph Connors Senior Center: 28 Paterson Street, 201-420-8249
- Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center: 140 Martin Luther King Drive, 201-547-4565
- Maureen Collier Senior Center: 335 Bergen Avenue, 201-434-3794
- St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter: 619 Grove Street, 201-656-7201
Kearny
- Kearny Branch Library: 759 Kearny Avenue, 201-955-7988
- Kearny Department of Public Health: 645 Kearny Avenue, 201-997-0600
- Kearny Naval Reserve Facility (transportation to and from this cooling center will also be provided from certain Hoboken + Jersey City locations — details here).
- Kearny Public Library: 318 Kearny Avenue, 201-998-2666
North Bergen
- North Bergen Downtown Library: 2123 Kennedy Boulevard, 201-869-4715
- North Bergen Recreation Center: 6300 Meadowview Avenue, 201-861-9601
- North Bergen Uptown Library: 8411 Bergenline Avenue, 201-869-4715
Secaucus
- Secaucus Public Library: 1379 Paterson Plank Road, 201-330-2083
- Secaucus Recreation Center: 1200 Koelle Boulevard, 201-330-3299
Union City
- Bruce Walter Rec Center: 507 West Street, 201-348-5701
- Centro Cultural William V. Musto: 420 15th Street, 201-271-2279
- Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC): 108 36th Street, 201-348-8150
- Union City Senior Citizens Center: 3715 Palisade Avenue, 201-348-5701
West New York
- FDR Senior Building – Adam Street: 6100 Adams Street, 201-868-6100
- FDR Senior Building – Jefferson Street: 5800 Jefferson, 201-868-6100
- Housing Authority of WNY: 6300 Adams Street, 201-861-7071
- Kennedy Towers Senior Building: 430 62nd Street, 201-868-6100
- Sunshine Garden Senior Center: 515 54th Street, 201-868-6100
Weehawken
- Weehawken Senior Citizens: 201 Highwood Avenue, 201-319-6060
- Weehawken Senior Housing: 525 Gregory Avenue, 201-330-7634
- Weehawken Senior Housing: 2 Potter Place, 201-583-1423
- Weehawken Senior Housing: 4800 Park Avenue
Cooling Centers in Bergen County
Bergenfield
- Bergenfield Senior Activity Center: 239 Murray Hill Terrace, 201-387-7212
East Rutherford
- Southwest Senior Activity Center:147 Hackensack Street, 201-935-8920
Hackensack
- Bergen County Administration Building: 1 Bergen County Plaza, 1st Floor, 201-336-7300
Midland Park
- Northwest Senior Activity Center: 46-50 Center Street, 201-445-5690
Cooling Centers in Passaic County
Clifton
- Clifton Main Library: 292 Piaget Avenue, 973-772-5500
- Clifton Public Library Allwood Branch: 44 Lyall Road, 973-471-0555
Passaic
- Dignity House: 287 Broadway
- Julius Forstman Library: 195 Gregory Avenue, 973-779-0474
- Reid Memorial Library: 80 Third Street, 973-777-6044
- Senior Center: 330 Passaic Street
Paterson
- Paterson Free Public Library: 250 Broadway, 973.321.1223
- Paterson Library Northside Branch: 60 Temple Street, 973.321.1309
- Paterson Library Southside Branch: 930 Main Street, 973.357.3020
- Paterson Library Totowa Branch: 405 Union Avenue, 973.942.7198
Cooling Centers in Morris County
Chatham
- Chatham Library: 214 Main Street, (973) 635-0603
Chester
- Chester Library: 250 West Main Street, 908-879-7612
Denville
- Denville Public Library: 121 Diamond Spring Road, 973.627.6555
East Hanover
- East Hanover Senior Center – 96 Mount Pleasant Avenue, 973-428-3060
Florham Park
- Senior Center: 111 Ridgedale Avenue
Jefferson Township
- Municipal Building: 1033 Weldon Road
Kinnelon
- Kinnelon Municipal Building: 130 Kinnelon Road, 973-838-5401 or 973-838-7573
- Kinnelon Public Library: 132 Kinnelon Road, 973-838-1321
Lincoln Park
- Lincoln Park Borough Hall: 34 Chapel Hill Road, 973-694-6100 or 973-694-3519
Long Hill
- Long Hill Library: 917 Valley Road
Mine Hill
- Mine Hill Civic Center: 12 Baker Street, 973-366-9031
Montville
- Montville Senior Center: 356 Main Road, 973-299-5087
Morris Plains
- Morris Plains Community Center: 51 Jim Fear Drive, 973-538-3455
Morristown
- Morristown Town Hall/Senior Center: 200 South St, 3rd Floor, 973-292-6690
Parsippany
- Parsippany-Troy Hills Main Library: 449 Halsey Road, 973-887-5150
Randolph
- Randolph Public Library: 28 Calais Road, 973-895-3556
Riverdale
- Riverdale Public Library: 93 Newark Pompton Turnpike, 973-835-5044
Rockaway
- Rockaway Assembly of God: 113 E Main Street, 973-627-0239
- Rockaway Borough Library: 82 East Main Street, 973-627-5709
- Rockaway Township Senior Center: 19 Mt Hope Road, 973-983-2898
- Rockaway Twp Marcella Community Center: 831 Green Pond Road, 973-983-0338
- Municipal Building: 10 Robert Street
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Signs of Heat Stroke
According to the CDC, signs of heat stroke include “confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech; loss of consciousness; hot, dry skin, or profuse sweating; seizures; very high body temperature.” Heat stroke can be fatal if it isn’t properly treated.
Should you notice anyone experiencing these symptoms, you should call 911 immediately. Wetting the skin, using cold cloths, soaking clothing in cold water, and sitting in an ice bath are all recommended methods to cool down until help can arrive. Heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat rash, and heat cramps are also potential heat-related issues.
Be sure to drink plenty of water, wear comfortable clothing, and try to limit exertion during these extremely hot days.