With temperatures expected to reach or exceed 90 degrees ahead of the Fourth of July, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared a heat emergency beginning Saturday morning in the city.
"We're going to be opening city-wide DCYF cooling centers. We're going to have 17 pools open. We're asking people to dress appropriately, we're asking people not to go on long walks and not to do any type of exercise in the heat," Walsh said at a Friday news conference.
He added that exercising in the hot temperatures was not recommended and staying hydrated was important.
Walsh was also reminding residents to use sunscreen, wear loose fitting clothing, and to limit outdoor activities between morning and evening hours. It's also important to check in on elderly family members and neighbors.
Pets should also never be left in vehicles.
Walsh and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans also discussed security and safety measures ahead of the Fourth of July saying there would be increased police presence along the Esplanade as well as other Boston neighborhoods.
"We're not reducing any type of manpower in our communities," Walsh said.
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Evans said there are no known threats to the city. Officials are more concerned with loud parties and illegal fireworks.
"We want people to have a good time but we want to make sure people are safe," said Evans. "The last couple of years we've been seeing a real increase in fireworks displays. We really want to discourage people from setting them off."
