Baltimore officials urge residents to take precautions to stay safe in hot weather as the city’s Code Red Extreme Heat season begins Friday.
The extreme heat season will run from May 15 through Sept. 15. During this period, city agencies and their partners will provide cooling centers and other resources, as well as encourage residents to check on their neighbors.
“Extreme heat can be life-threatening, and we want to make sure all of our residents have what they need to stay safe this summer,” Mayor Brandon M. Scott said in a statement. “We’re especially focused on our most vulnerable residents, including older adults, young people, pregnant women, those experiencing homelessness, folks working outdoors, and those with underlying health conditions.”
The city’s health commissioner will declare a Code Red when the forecasted heat index – the “feels like” temperature based on air temperature and relative humidity – reaches 105 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
“Heat-related illness is preventable, but it requires awareness and action,” Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Taylor said in a statement. “We encourage residents to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during peak hours, and check on family members, neighbors and older adults. Public health is a shared responsibility, and small actions can save lives.”
Older adults; infants; children; pregnant people; individuals with certain pre-existing health conditions like heart disease and asthma; and people who work or exercise outdoors are at a greater risk of heat illness.
The risk of death from cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and stroke is higher during extreme heat.
More people have died from heat-related illness than any other severe weather event in the United States in the past decade.
Baltimore City had 14 Code Red Extreme Heat days and 8 heat-related deaths in the 2025 heat season.
Last week, the Maryland Department of Health launched a new dashboard tracking data on weather-related illnesses.
So far this year, the state has recorded no heat-related deaths. However, there have been six visits to emergency departments or urgent care facilities, and eight Emergency Medical Services calls for heat-related illnesses.
To make sure they don’t become a statistic on that dashboard, city officials urge residents to assemble an emergency kit for extreme heat events, prepare their homes for high temperatures, develop a plan for where and how to stay cool, and register for BMORE Alerts by texting BMOREALERT to 888777.
“Baltimore continues to experience increasingly extreme temperatures, and we all have a role to play in preparing for and responding to dangerous heat conditions to keep our communities safe,” said Joey Henderson, director of Baltimore City’s Office of Emergency Management, in a statement. “We’re working across agencies to deliver coordinated, comprehensive resources for residents this summer.”
Cooling centers will be at the following locations and times:
- My Sister’s Place Women’s Center (for women and children): 17 W. Franklin St., Baltimore, MD 21201 — Monday – Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Manna House: 435 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218 — Monday – Friday,
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. - Beans & Bread: 400 S. Bond St., Baltimore, MD 21231 — Monday – Friday,
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. - Franciscan Center: 101 W. 23rd St., Baltimore, MD 21218 — Monday – Friday,
- 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Weinberg Housing & Resource Center: 620 Fallsway, Baltimore, MD 21202 — Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Residents can also get relief from the heat at open Enoch Pratt Free Library locations during their normal business hours.
The city health department encourages residents to stay hydrated with water, not alcohol or caffeinated beverages; limit time outside, especially during the hottest part of the day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; stay indoors in an air-conditioned space; and check on older adults, sick people, and other vulnerable community members.
Seek medical help immediately if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, including confusion; nausea; light-headedness; high body temperature with cool and clammy skin; hot, dry, flushed skin; and rapid or slowed heartbeat.
Infants and children should not be left alone in the care for even a few minutes, and babies should not be in a blanket-covered stroller.
To ensure your baby does not overheat while sleeping, make sure they sleep alone, on their back, in an empty crib or bassinet, with their head uncovered, and in a smoke-free space.
The room can be kept cool with a fan as long as it is not pointed directly at the baby. If you are worried about the baby getting cold, use a lightweight sleep sack instead of a blanket or thick sleepwear.
Like children, pets should also not be left alone in a car.
If they are outside, make sure you pet has enough shade and water; limit their exercise to early morning and evening hours; walk them on grass rather than asphalt, which can burn their paws on hot days.
Look out for signs of heatstroke in your pet, including heavy panting, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, vomiting, inability to get up, and a deep red or purple tongue.
Take your pet to a veterinarian immediately if you believe they are suffering from heatstroke.
