Stafford, Woodbridge residents deal with heat

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Another hot day across the region meant more people turned to a local cooling shelter for relief.

Prince William officials in a statement issued early Wednesday urged residents without air-conditioning to get out of their homes and into county libraries and government buildings, all of which are air-conditioned.

“We have 45 people that are using the drop-in shelter right now,” said Bonnie Schrader, who runs a cooling shelter off Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge. “They come in to cool off and then go back out to run errands, but most come back in and say something about how hot it is out there.”

The shelter, which sits near a local bus depot, provides a place for the homeless to come sit in air-conditioning, shower and have a hot meal.

So many people were showering there Wednesday, the center had run out of hot water, she said.

And there was food to eat, as Saint Elizabeth Seton church in Woodbridge donated sandwiches, sausage and gravy and bottled water.

The summer heat also affected residents in Stafford, as the county’s fire chief issued a Code Black alert meaning that all county employees who normally work outdoors had stop work or come inside.

“The Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department recommends that all park users head this warning and stay out of today’s heat,” said Stafford County spokeswoman Cathy Riddle.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, county parks officials had not cancelled any scheduled activities in Stafford parks.

About the same time, the temperature at Reagan Washington National Airport was 99 degrees and a heat advisory was to remain in effect until 11 p.m.

The hot conditions also prompted a poor air quality alert, which meant small children, senior citizens and those with asthma and other diseases should not be outside, according to the National Weather Service.

The hot weather is supposed to remain in the region through Friday, with a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms both Thursday and Friday, according to the weather service.

A portion of this story first appeared on insidenova.com.