Lexingtonians may be well-versed in Phase One of the heat plan, which is described as a "readiness" posture toward the weather, but Phase Three is classed as a "heat emergency." That happens when the National Weather Service issues an Excessive Heat Warning for Fayette County that is expected to last three or more days.
The plan will be active through July 2, with the heat index set to pass 105.
“The very young, the elderly, and those with medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and should seek shelter from the extreme heat,” Lexington Emergency Management officials
said in a statement.
The actions taken by emergency officials are in line with those taken during lesser heat events.
LexTran provides free rides to cooling stations for those experiencing homelessness, outreach teams distribute supplies, and Lexington's community centers — Dunbar, Kenwick, and Castlewood — remain open through the evening.
City waste collection will also begin an hour early due to the heat. Residential collection will begin at 4:30 a.m. and commercial collection at 3:30 a.m. Residents should place carts on the curb the night before their collection day.
The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention has opened cooling stations, with locations at Arbor Youth Services, Lexington Rescue Mission, Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, New Life Day Center, New Vista Drop-In Center, Nathaniel Mission, and Recovery Café Lexington.