Accessing Cooling Centers with DART

Summer often means sizzling heat is settling back into central Iowa. Did you know DART offers free rides to cooling centers in Polk County when temperatures are extreme?  

DART provides free rides to cooling centers when the Polk County Emergency Management activates its Extreme Temperature Plan.  

The Extreme Temperature Plan goes into effect when the following is expected in Polk County: 

• A heat index of 95 degrees or above AND 

• Two consecutive days in which the heat index does not fall below 75° at night. 

Once the Plan is in place and you need to access a cool place, you should take these steps:  

• Identify a cooling center location near you and the bus route to get there. 

• When you board the bus, tell the driver you’re heading to a cooling center.  

• Be sure to then notify the driver when you need to exit the bus at the stop nearest the cooling center.  

DART Paratransit riders can also schedule a free ride to a cooling center by contacting DART Customer Service.

You can call Customer Service at 515-283-8100, email dart@ridedart.com or visit the Customer Service window at DART Central Station if you have any questions. 
 

Where are cooling centers in Polk County? 

Cities and towns in Polk County are asked to select air-conditioned spaces where people can temporarily go when extreme heat develops.¹ These designated cooling centers are normally open during the facility’s regular business hours but may extend hours in special circumstances. Cooling centers often include libraries, malls, community centers or senior centers. Here is a full list of locations that serve as cooling centers in Polk County. 

The following cooling centers are located directly along one of DART’s regular routes:

Before traveling, it’s a good idea to call your nearest cooling center to find out hours of operation and to determine if it is open or closed (including for weekends and holidays).
 

How do I find out when DART is offering rides to cooling centers? 

When the Polk County Emergency Management Agency activates its summer Extreme Temperature Plan, DART will share updates on ridedart.com and social media. DART will also send emails to riders who are signed up for email alerts. You can even listen to local news in Des Moines to find out when the Extreme Temperature Plan is put into place.
 

Why go to a cooling center? 

Extreme heat – a period of high heat and humidity lasting at least two to three days – is the number one cause of annual weather-related deaths in the United States.² One of the best ways to prevent heat illness is to stay in air-conditioned places as often as possible.

Although everyone can be affected by heat, children, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, people with pre-existing conditions, people with disabilities and low-income communities are often most at risk.³ 

Remember, DART will give you and your family a free ride to a cooling center during times when Polk County Emergency Management Agency’s Extreme Temperature Plan is in place. 
 

SOURCES:  

¹Polk County Emergency Management Agency, “Extreme Temperature and Sheltering Resources”  

²Ready.gov/heat, “Extreme Heat”  

³Heat.gov, “Who is Most at Risk to Extreme Heat?”