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MPS closing schools early Wednesday due to heat

By FOX6 News Digital Team
Published  June 14, 2022 1:16pm CDT
Milwaukee Public Schools
FOX6 News Milwaukee
article

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Public Schools will close schools early on Wednesday, June 15 due to extreme heat. 

MPS also closed schools early Tuesday due to the high temperatures.

All schools will start at their regular times Wednesday and will be dismissed as follows:

  • Schools that begin at 7:20 a.m. will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m.
  • Schools that begin at 9 a.m. will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m.
  • All Summer Academy sites will release at 1 p.m.

Breakfast and lunch will be served, MPS said, and buses will pick up students at the early dismissal times. For those who pick up students from school, note the above end times for the school day.

All after-school activities – Child Care Camps, Community Learning Centers (CLCs), and Safe Places – will be canceled Wednesday afternoon and night, according to MPS. Milwaukee Recreation programs, activities and Twilight Centers will remain open.

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Heat health alert/cooling centers

The Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management issued a heat heath advisory for Tuesday and Wednesday in southeast Wisconsin. 

To prevent heat-related illness or death, the Milwaukee Health Department advises citizens to take the following precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

  • Slow down. Limit physical activity, and try to spend part of your day in air-conditioned spaces such as shopping malls, movie theaters, or libraries.
  • Never leave children or pets in a parked car. Temperatures can become life-threatening within minutes.
  • Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing.
  • Take cool baths or showers and use wet towels on your skin to help you cool down.
  • Do not rely on fans as a primary cooling device.
  • Check in on those most-at-risk twice a day.
  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day, regardless of thirst.
  • Avoid consuming caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as these can increase heat effects.
  • Remind others to drink enough water.
  • Check local news and weather reports for extreme heat alerts and safety tips.
  • Be aware of symptoms of heat-related illness
  • Heat exhaustion symptoms include: heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, or fainting
  • Heat stroke symptoms include: extremely high body temperature, hot and dry skin (no sweating), rapid pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or unconsciousness
  • Check on relatives, friends, or neighbors, especially those most susceptible to heat-related illness, which includes the very young, the elderly, and those on certain medications (especially certain medications related to blood pressure, heart disease, and mental health).

Those in need of emergency services during heat advisories, watches or warnings should call Impact 211 for assistance.  There are also cooling sites in Milwaukee for people in need of public space to cool off.