Update: Relief From The Heat Wave

Board of Supervisors (left to right) Dist. 5 Jaron Brandon, Dist. 1 David Goldemberg, Dist. 2 Ryan Campbell, Dist. 3 Anaiah Kirk and Dist. 4 Kathleen Haff

Update at 3 p.m.:  Tuolumne County OES and Tuolumne County Public Health have some updates on the list of areas to get relief from the triple-digit heat.

Regarding the Jamestown Community Hall located at 18250 Main Street Jamestown, county officials relay that those needing a ride can contact Tuolumne Transit at 209-532-0404. The location for a Groveland facility has also been nailed down. It is at The Book Nook (below Groveland Library) located at 18990 Main Street in Groveland. It will be open Saturday and Sunday from 1-7. Thanks to Groveland Community Services District, Groveland Fire and Groveland CERT volunteers.

Additionally, county officials offer information on services offered by Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency or ATCAA below:

ATCAA is the entity that administers the SWEATS program in Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Amador Counties offering services to verified low-income residents. There is no referral form, applicants can
get an application at any one of the ATCCA offices, by mail, online at ATCAA.org, or by calling 209-
223-1485. Besides the services listed below, SWEATS offers higher energy assistance payments,
loaner coolers, or rides to cooling centers:

• Offer temporary shelter
• Arrange transportation (such as shuttles or buses) to transport displaced low-income
  individuals residing in a temporary shelter to seek medical assistance and treatment
• Provide Emergency Heating/Cooling or water heater repair/replacement
• Provide crisis payments for energy utility services, deposits, and reconnections. Crisis utility
  benefits shall be limited to only those low-income families experiencing economic hardship as
  a direct result of the declared emergency and are at risk of losing energy services or are
  unable to secure utility services. SWEATS (crisis) utility assistance benefits are entirely
  separate from HEAP and FAST Track utility assistance benefits and may be issued to an
  eligible household which may have previously received an annual HEAP or Fast Track
  benefit. Agencies are responsible for issuing the SWEATS utility assistance benefit directly to
  the utility service provider, and may only issue the benefit in the amount owed to the utility
  company to either restore or prevent utility disruption at the time of intake and eligibility
  determination up to a maximum of $1,000, per eligible household; and/or
• Purchase fans, air conditioners and generators.

Find all the listed cooling locations below.

Original post on Thursday at 6:55 p.m.: Sonora, CA – With an Excessive Heat Warning forecast to hit the Mother Lode at noon tomorrow, Tuolumne County has provided a list of facilities for the public to beat the heat.

The National Weather Service reports triple-digit heat from 100 to 115 degrees, with warm overnight lows ranging from the upper 60s to the mid-’80s. as detailed here. Tuolumne County OES and Tuolumne County Public Health relay that they have worked with county facilities and local partners to provide the following for relief from hot weather should people need a place to cool off while also suggesting neighbors check on neighbors to make sure they are okay.

•Sonora

• Tuolumne County Main Library located at 480 Greenley Road Sonora CA 95370 will be extending hours and open Saturday, July 10th and Sunday, July 11th from 12-6 pm.

Jamestown

• Jamestown Community Hall located at 18250 Main Street Jamestown, CA will be open Saturday, July 10th and Sunday, July 11th from 1-8 pm and staffed by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Community Service Unit.

Twain Harte

• Twain Harte Community Services District will have the Legion Hall facility open at 18775 Manzanita Dr. Friday thru Monday 12-6 pm. Thank you to Twain Harte CSD, Twain Harte Fire and Twain Harte CERT volunteers.

Groveland

• Pending confirmation of Facility, hours and staffing to be determined in coordination with Groveland Community Services District, Groveland Fire and Groveland CERT volunteers.

Both departments note that they are monitoring the situation and relay that should additional facilities or extended hours be needed and update on times and locations will be provided. They add that facilities used as a cooling center or shelter will still require masking and social distancing per state guidelines for COVID when indoors.

Of note, at its Tuesday meeting, the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors took up the issue of reviewing its Extreme Temperature Contingency Plan after controversy erupted last month over no cooling centers being opened during an Excessive Heat Warning, as reported here. Its criteria for opening a cooling center require three consecutive days of daytime temperatures of 105 degrees and above and 75 and above at night. Staff noted to change the plan could result in an estimated $50,000 price tag for the county.

Several supervisors remarked that communication with the public was a big part of the problem. District 4 Supervisor Kathleen Haff stated, “I don’t think we need to spend staff time in developing another plan for lesser than meeting the threshold. I think what we need to do is do a better job at getting the information out there of all the different resources when things get uncomfortable.” She added, “We’re not doing a good job. I’d like to see our PR group, we hired them, let’s use them, Please!” Haff also called for an all-out effort to get volunteers to help as well.

Another suggestion was to release the memo that summarized the 104-page plan at the meeting out to the public. Click here for the memo and here for the entire plan.  In the end, the board made no changes to the contingency plan. For more information on the heat relief areas listed above contact Tuolumne County OES at 533-6395 or Tuolumne County Public Health at 209-533-7401.