DeKalb County rolls out extreme-heat response: cooling centers, wraparound services and temporary employee protections

DeKalb County officials on the county’s heat response plan said they are expanding cooling options for residents and adjusting operations to protect employees as temperatures rise.

"Extreme heat has become more than a seasonal occurrence," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson said at a press conference announcing the measures. She described the initiative as a proactive effort to protect "our most vulnerable residents, support community, and also provide for the public safety of our employees" during prolonged high temperatures.

The county has designated four locations to serve as cooling centers: Golden Dura Event Center (press materials give 2944 Ember Drive), Frontline Response (2585 Gresham Road), Peace Baptist Annex (near Peace Baptist Church at 399 Covington Highway) and the South Camp day center, officials said. Alan Mitchell, director of community development, said the county will use contracted transportation to pick up people and bring them to the centers and return them to shelters or locations of their choice.

Mitchell described the day centers as entry points for housing and "wraparound services," including showers, food, on-site counseling and referrals to behavioral-health and medical partners (named in the remarks as Clarel behavioral health and Mercy Care). He said workforce-development staff will provide job-readiness training and resume assistance aimed at stabilizing clients and moving them toward employment. Mitchell estimated roughly 25–35% of individuals the county encounters have mental or behavioral-health needs (figure stated as an approximation during remarks).

Officials said community day centers already operating this month will function as cooling stations and that most locations will offer food and water in addition to a cool place to rest. Chris Bass, director of recreation, listed outdoor pools that will offer free admission for the remainder of the summer and confirmed that recreation centers will open air-conditioned cooling areas during normal operating hours (8 a.m.–6 p.m.) and provide hydration stations for visitors.

To protect county employees who work outdoors, Johnson said department directors will have discretion to increase remote work for nonessential employees from July 1 through Sept. 1. For essential outdoor crews — including sanitation, parks and recreation, watershed, road maintenance and first responders — departments are encouraged to shift hours earlier in the day, add hydration breaks and ensure access to shaded or cooled areas.

"Their health and safety is our first priority," Johnson said, adding that some operational changes also advance sustainability goals by reducing unnecessary commutes and lowering vehicle emissions.

The county said a new north-side day center at St. Vincent DePaul (location cited as approved) is expected to open in November–December to add capacity for homeless services. Officials did not provide exact opening-day confirmations in the remarks and characterized some timing and percentages as approximate.

The press conference included emergency-management guidance and outreach plans; county leaders said they will continue to share locations and services during the summer. The county did not announce any formal ordinance or budget vote during the briefing.