In anticipation of record-breaking heat this weekend, the City of Falls Church issued a statement Friday reminding residents that the F.C. Community Center and Mary Riley Styles Library are both air conditioned and will be open to residents.
The community center will be open from 8:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday, 2 – 6 p.m. on Sunday and the library will be open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 – 5 p.m. on Sunday. The city encourages all residents to stop by either location if they need to “beat the heat.”
In addition, the City issued details of two programs aimed at keeping residents cool during the summer. The Cooling Assistance Program with Fairfax County is a federally funded program that helps eligible low-income households with at least one person considered especially vulnerable to heat: a child under age six, a disabled individual or an adult age 60 or older. Cooling assistance can be used to help with:
• Payment of electric bills to operate cooling equipment.
• Payment of security deposits for electricity to operate cooling equipment.–Repair of a central air conditioning system or heat pump.
• Purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans.–Purchase and installation of one window unit air conditioner for households where there is no unit or where the unit must be replaced.
Application for the Cooling Assistance Program will be accepted through August 15. More information is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/ss/cooling_assistance.htm.
The Fan Care program, sponsored by Dominion Virginia Power, is an electric fan distribution program for older Fairfax-area residents. Annually, it provides about 200 free fans and/or window air conditioners to eligible senior adults in the Fairfax area.
To qualify for Fan Care, a person must be at least 60 years old, need a fan to prevent heat-related health problems and meet income eligibility requirements. Not everyone in the home needs to be an older adult to qualify for a fan, but all incomes must be counted. There is a limit of one fan per household.
The Fan Care program begins runs through the end of September. To request an application, call the Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services – Fairfax Area Agency on Aging at 703-324-7694, TTY 703-449-1186.
