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Mental health facility residents without air conditioning spend the night at Salvation Army center in Modesto

Modesto Bee - 6/21/2017

June 21--Eighteen residents from a mental health facility with failing air conditioning were relocated to a Salvation Army center in downtown Modesto Tuesday, but they returned to their home Wednesday morning.

This week's heat wave prompted authorities to move the residents after an air conditioner failed in one of the wings of the Modesto Residential Living Center in the 1900 block of Evergreen Avenue, just west of Carver Road in Modesto.

Lena Baldwin, facility manager, said the 18 residents returned to Modesto Residential Living Center Wednesday. In case the air conditioning fails again, Baldwin said they have already designated another temporary shelter to house affected residents.

Firefighters responded to the second floor of the living center shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a resident suffering with symptoms of heat-related illness. The resident was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.

The temperature inside the building had risen to dangerous levels, said Battalion Chief Jesse Nicasio. The residents with psychiatric issues initially were moved from the second floor to a wing where the air-conditioning was still working.

The residents of the affected wing were relocated to the Salvation Army center on I Street in Modesto. Salvation Army staff provided beds for the residents, and the Fire Department used its bus to relocate the residents.

The Fire Department consulted with the Stanislaus County Public Health officials, American Medical Response medics, Stanislaus Office of Emergency Services and Mountain Valley Emergency Medical Services Agency before deciding to relocate the residents.

Baldwin said residents spent the night at the Salvation Army center with Modesto Residential Living Center staff providing supervision. The residents returned to Evergreen Avenue facility about 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

The high temperature for Modesto reached 105 degrees on Tuesday, 14 degrees above the average high for this time of year, according to the Modesto Irrigation District.

The National Weather Services predicts Modesto's high temperature to reach 105 degrees Wednesday and 110 degrees on Thursday. The forecasters expect for the weather in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to start cooling down slowly starting Friday.

Officials have opened cooling centers throughout Stanislaus County to offer residents from temporary shelter during this heat wave.

Rosalio Ahumada: 209-578-2394

Cooling centers that are open during the afternoon on days indicated:

Modesto

Salvation Army Social Services and Church, 625 I St., Monday-Friday.

Modesto Library, 1500 I St., Monday-Saturday

Senior Center, 211 Bodem St., Monday-Friday

Maddux Youth Center, 615 Sierra Drive, Monday-Saturday

King-Kennedy Memorial Center, 601 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Monday-Friday

McHenry Museum, 1402 I St., Tuesday-Sunday

Modesto Gospel Mission, 1400 Yosemite Blvd., Sunday-Monday (when temps reach 100 degrees)

Vintage Faire Mall, 3401 Dale Road.

Ceres

Ceres Community Center, 2701 4th St., Monday-Saturday

Ceres library, 2250 Magnolia Ave., Monday-Saturday

Turlock

Homeless Assistance Ministry Center, 432 S. Broadway Ave., Monday

Turlock library, 550 Minaret Ave., Monday-Saturday

Oakdale

Oakdale library, 151 S. First Ave., Monday-Saturday

Riverbank

City Council Chambers, 6707 Third St., Monday-Thursday, alternating Fridays

Riverbank library, 3442 Santa Fe St., Monday-Saturday

Teen Center, Seventh and Stanislaus streets, Monday-Friday

Salida

Salida library, 4835 Sisk Road, Monday-Saturday

Hughson

Hughson library, 2412 Third St., Tuesday-Saturday

City Hall, 7108 Pine St., Monday-Friday

Community Center, 2307 Fourth St., Monday-Sunday in emergencies

Keyes

Keyes library, 4420 Maud Ave., Monday-Friday

Patterson

Patterson library, 46 N. Salado Ave., Monday-Saturday

City Hall, 1 Plaza St., Monday-Friday

Hammon Senior Center, 1033 W. Las Palmas Ave., Monday-Friday

Empire

Empire library, 18 S. Abbie St., Tuesday-Saturday

Denair

Denair library, 4801 Kersey Road, Tuesday-Saturday

Newman

Newman library, 1305 Kern St., Tuesday-Saturday

Family Resource Center, 1300 Patchett Drive, Monday-Friday

Teen Center, 831 Hardin Road, Monday-Friday

Waterford

City Hall, 101 E. St., Monday-Friday

Waterford library, 324 E. St., Monday-Saturday

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