SAN DIEGO — Heat warnings and alerts have been extended through Monday and not all of us have a place to go indoors to cool off.
Temperatures are expected to be 10 to 25 degrees warmer than normal in San Diego County, leaving those struggling with homelessness now struggling to survive dangerous heat.
Josh Bohannan is the chief strategy officer for Father Joes' Villages.
"Neighbors experiencing homelessness might be living on the street or the asphalt," Bohannan shared.
Bohannan says their population doesn't have a place to go to beat the heat, so they work to meet people where they are.
"We just follow up. We check with them to see how they're doing, to see their health conditions and provide them tools to stay cool," Bohannan added.
Bohannan says advocates for people experiencing homelessness point those in need to one of any of the City of San Diego Cool Zones like local libraries and recreation centers.
San Diego County's 2024 point in time snapshot of San Diegans living on the street found more than 10,600 people are experiencing homelessness.
Bohannan says, if there's space available, there are places with day centers like Father Joe’s that people can turn to, to cool off.
"Our day center is open to the public from 9-5 during the hot hours that we're going to experience today. We have access to showers; indoor ac and we have shade where people can come and escape the heat during the day," Bohannan advised.
Tuesday Moon works for The Father Joe’s Street Help Team.
"We bring street health to people who can't make it to a clinic or to urgent care," Moon explained.
"We do all kinds of wound care and different treatments but right now we're very focused on this weather. We go out with water, we have baseball hats, we have sunscreen. If we see someone who is getting burns on the bottom of their feet, because of one shoe or no shoes - I just did it in the courtyard today – we get them a fresh pair of slides or some socks, and we tell them to get in the grass."
Extreme heat is responsible for more deaths every year than any other weather-related event. Those experiencing homelessness are at higher risk. Bohannan shares the symptoms, for which, you should watch.
"Severe sweating, agitation, headaches, possibly fainting, some kind of nausea and so it's important that people experiencing these symptoms immediately try to find a cool place so that they can try to cool down," Bohannan concluded.
If you or someone you know needs a place to go to beat the heat, the City of San Diego has opened it's cool zones. Our cool zones can be found in all city libraries and various recreation centers. Hours vary by location.
This heat wave is expected to last through Monday.
WATCH RELATED: City of San Diego opens 'cool zones' during county-wide heat wave