D.C. opens cooling centers

WASHINGTON (AP) — D.C. officials have opened a cooling center to help residents survive a heat index expected to top 110 degrees.

An emergency management official said Saturday there has been a constant flow of people visiting the center that opened at noon in D.C.’s U street neighborhood.

Emergency Management Agency deputy operations chief Kerry Payne said people were trickling in and leaving with three or four bottles of water each but few were choosing to stay inside the air conditioned building.

The D.C. area had its first excessive heat warning of 2010 issued by the National Weather Service.

City officials said public pools were staying open later Saturday and they encouraged people without air conditioning to visit the city’s 62 recreation centers to stay safe.

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