They went fast! The city of LA says signups for free AC units are now at full capacity

Older Angelenos looking for help to beat the heat wave quickly signed up to get free portable air conditioning units next week from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the city’s Department of Aging.

But signups are now at full capacity, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Who qualifies

The goal is to serve people who are over 60 years old, have fixed incomes and don’t have sufficient air conditioning, officials said.

The event is open to people who are enrolled in or qualified for the department’s EZ-SAVE or Lifeline discount rates programs. Attendees will be able to enroll for these programs in person if they qualify. You’ll need to bring proof of income.

When and where

Date: Monday, Sept. 9
Location: Lincoln Park Senior Center in Lincoln Heights, 3501 Valley Blvd.
Time: 9 a.m. to noon.

About 400 air conditioning units will be available. People who RSVP online will get priority, although a spokesperson said the department will do its best to accommodate walk-ins. You need to bring an ID and Department of Water and Power bill in your name.

The backstory

It’s the third of four such giveaways this summer. The final event will take place in Canoga Park, but the details are yet to be confirmed. You can stay up to date here.

LADWP says it has distributed more than 500 free air conditioning units this summer.

Some 400 people attended the most recent giveaway event at the Alicia Broadous-Duncan Senior Center in Pacoima, where about 300 free portable room air conditioners were distributed, according to the department.

“Living in the San Fernando Valley, heat in the summer is just something we have learned to live with,” said L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez in a statement. “However, the increased intensity of heat waves puts more of our most vulnerable residents at risk.”

In July, another giveaway event was held in Watts. More than 300 people attended that one, and about 250 air conditioning units were distributed, according to the department.

Why it matters

In densely populated communities like Watts, where there are more buildings and concrete, and fewer trees and green spaces than other neighborhoods, the effects of heat waves are amplified.

The urban heat island effect happens when pavement and buildings absorb heat throughout the day then release it at night. It can make temperatures as much as 9 degrees hotter during the day and more than 20 degrees hotter than normal at night, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency.

As human-caused climate change drives longer and hotter heat waves, and intensifies that urban heat effect, older people are particularly vulnerable to the potentially deadly health impacts, experts say. That’s because they’re more likely to have chronic health issues or take medications that affect the body’s response to heat.

More resources

In L.A., Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, call 3-1-1 or call for a list of cooling centers. In the city of Los Angeles, you can also find a list of recreation centers, senior centers and libraries — all good choices for cooling off — online.

• Tip: Call the center in advance to make sure seating is available.
• Tip: If the center you want is at capacity, or non-operational, head to a local, air-conditioned library and cool off with a book about ice fishing in Antarctica.
  

You can get more details of cooling centers in Southern California:

• L.A. County
• City of L.A. (includes hydration centers)
• Orange County
• Riverside County
• San Bernardino County