Two teenagers play at the Grove Park Pool
Kansas City reached a heat index of 109°F on July 14 during the summer’s first intense heat wave. Swimming pools are open daily from noon until 7 p.m. (Chase Castor/The Beacon)

The sort of heat wave baking Kansas City looks to be increasingly common, and increasingly dangerous.

Climate scientists expect Kansas City will fall in an extreme heat belt in the Midwest, where the heat index could reach 125°F at least one day a year by 2053.

“The climate crisis isn’t one single moment of disaster,” said Laela Zaidi, an organizer with Sunrise Movement KC, a group fighting climate change. “It’s also days and weeks of extreme heat, of drought, of failing infrastructure.”

Here’s why severe heat is so dangerous and what you can do to keep yourself, your neighbors and your loved ones safe.

What makes heat so dangerous?

Heat is the most dangerous kind of severe weather. It kills more people than tornadoes, flooding and winter cold.

Intense heat is the most dangerous when it’s unrelenting, said Hallie Bova, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Kansas City.

“If the nighttime temperature is not cooling down,” she said, “that can be very dangerous for those who are spending significant amounts of time outdoors.”

Humans have a number of ways to keep temperatures low inside our bodies — like sweating, or increasing blood flow to the skin.

Problems come when those mechanisms no longer cool the body enough  — and when people run into dangers like heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke.

Water is the most important thing your body needs to keep cool in hot weather.

Dr. Joanne Loethen, a pediatrician at University Health, said you should worry if you stop sweating or urinating. That’s an early sign that your body is running out of water, and it means that you might be developing heat exhaustion.

That’s why it’s especially important to stay hydrated during a heat wave. Loethen said people should avoid drinks with caffeine like soda and coffee. Those diuretics make you pee more, instead of using the water to cool your body down.

Some medications, like spironolactone or some heart medicines, are also diuretic. If you take them, you should compensate by drinking more water. Some over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen aren’t diuretic, but taking them while dehydrated can hurt your kidneys.

Elderly, disabled and children at most risk

People who are older or disabled and children face the highest risks from intense heat.

“The mechanisms for cooling ourselves as we age are not as robust,” Loethen said. “Older individuals are (also) much more likely to have things like cardiovascular disease, lung disease, diabetes.”

Parents of young children should pay close attention to their kids’ behavior and try to have them play indoors between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

“(Young kids) love being outdoors and playing, and they might overlook … being a little dizzy or thirsty,” Loethen said. “They might try to play right through it, just to get more play time.”

If they start acting lethargic, it’s time to bring them inside.

Kansas City residents with elderly neighbors or relatives should try to check on them to make sure they’re doing OK in the heat — especially if they use medical equipment like oxygen tanks.

If someone is experiencing early symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, Loethen said they should try to cool down as rapidly as possible. 

“Getting into a cool shower would be a very reasonable idea to cool someone down who you think might be overheating,” she said.

Tips for staying cool

Bova, from the National Weather Service, said that if your air conditioning goes out, the best way to stay safe is to get to a cooling center.

Taking a cold shower could give temporary relief, and hanging blankets in front of the windows can keep sunlight from heating up your home.

If your home is more than 95 degrees, a fan won’t help much and it could make the heat worse.

Kansas City’s buses and streetcars are air conditioned, but riders must get off at the end of the line. To avoid being stranded, RideKC spokesperson Cindy Baker said riders should take the buses to a cooling center, where they can stay for a longer time.

Cooling Centers 

Community centers throughout Kansas City will serve as cooling centers. Those centers will be free to the public and guests will have access to air conditioning, seats and free cups of water. Cooling centers can be found at the following locations: 

  • Garrison Community Center — 1124 E. Fifth St.
  • Gregg/Klice Community Center — 1600 John Buck O’Neil Way
  • Hillcrest Community Center — 10401 Hillcrest Rd.
  • Kansas City North Community Center — 3930 N.E. Antioch Rd.
  • Line Creek Community Center — 5940 N.W. Waukomis Dr.
  • Mary Williams-Neal Community Center — 3801 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd.
  • Marlborough Community Center — 8200 The Paseo Blvd.
  • Southeast Community Center — 4201 E. 63rd St.
  • Tony Aguirre Community Center — 2050 W Pennway St
  • Westport Roanoke Community Center — 3601 Roanoke Rd.

Splash parks, water parks and public pools 

Splash pads can provide families with an escape from the heat and they are available to everyone at no cost. There are nine splash pads available daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.: 

  • Blue Valley Park — 2301 Topping Ave.
  • Douglas Park — 2632 Jarboe St.
  • Gillham Park — 3915 Gillham Rd.
  • Harmony Park — 1015 Agnes Ave.
  • Longview Tract Park — 7101 Longview Rd.
  • Lykins Square — Myrtle Ave. & E. 8th St.
  • Parade Park — 1600 John Buck O’Neil Way
  • Spring Valley Park — E. 27th St. & Woodland Ave.
  • Sunnyside Park — 8255 Summit St. 

Two indoor pools are available, at the Gregg-Klice and Tony Aguirre community centers, and are open year-round. Kansas City Parks and Recreation has five outdoor pools open daily from noon to 7 p.m. through Aug. 18. Admission is $5. 

  • Gorman Pool — 1101 NE 47th Street
  • Budd Pool — 5600 Budd Park Esplanade St.
  • Grove Pool — 1500 Benton Blvd.
  • Line Creek Community Center Pool — 5940 N.E. Waukomis Dr.
  • Mary Williams-Neal Community Center Pool — Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. and Cleveland Ave

Kansas City’s two water parks will be open until Sept. 2. Both the Springs Aquatic Center, at 9400 N. Congress Ave., and the Bay Water Park, at 7101 Longview Road, are open from noon to 8 p.m.

After the start of the school year, both parks will only be open on weekends. Admission fees at Bay Water Park are $6 for children under 48 inches, $8 for those 48 inches and taller, and $7 for seniors. Admission prices for Springs Aquatic Center are $8 for kids under 48 inches, $11 for people 48 inches and taller, and $9 for seniors.

Libraries

All of the Kansas City Public Libraries and Mid-Continental Public Libraries will serve as cooling centers during normal business hours. 

Mary Olive Joyce, director of outreach and engagement for KCPL, said every library sees an increase in attendees during extreme heat. Library staff are currently discussing ideas to accommodate heavier foot traffic like getting water bottle fillers at each branch and rolling out leisure programs such as puzzles and movies. 
Staff also pass out street sheets, or pamphlets with various community resources for people in need. Joyce said people looking for extra assistance can see the community resource team at the Central Library.

Mili Mansaray is The Beacon’s former housing and labor reporter and began covering the beat in 2022. She’s documented the concentration of housing ownership by corporate interests and explored challenges...

Josh Merchant is The Beacon's local government reporter in Kansas City. After graduating from Seattle University, Josh earned a master’s degree in investigative journalism from Columbia Journalism School...