The local effort to provide cooling centers at the Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office lobbies got national attention this week.
The New York Times picked up on the effort and reached out to Police Capt. Ray Mattas, who says he was thoroughly surprised by the interview. He also says it’s nice to get national recognition for a common-sense way to keep people safe in the heat.
The article, written by Julie Bosman out of the Times bureau in Chicago, also highlights the police department’s approach to handling extended times in the heat for officers, including crash investigations.
Mattas says the Police Department will have extra water for the officers at these extended scenes, but it will also speed up its officer rotation as a safety measure.
Cooling centers remain open until further notice at the Police Department lobby, 518 Mechanic, and the Sheriff’s Office lobby, 425 Mechanic. Pets are allowed if they can be controlled. Go to KVOE.com for a list of other cooling centers in and around Emporia.
Click here for the New York Times article. You may have a paywall to navigate.
