D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has activated a heat alert for Sunday and an extreme heat alert for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

A heat alert means that temperatures will feel like 94 to 104 degrees, and an extreme heat alert means temperatures will feel like 105 degrees or higher.

The District has opened cooling centers as well as low barrier shelters and day centers for those experiencing homelessness. The city’s pools and splash pads are open, too. You can find a map of cooling centers here. If you or someone else needs free and accessible transportation to a cooling center, the shelter hotline can be called at (202) 399-7093 or call 311.

It’s recommended people stay indoors as much as possible, but if you have to be outside, doctors recommend staying hydrated, wearing lightweight and loose clothing, wearing sunscreen and avoiding strenuous activities to prevent heat related illnesses.

For the safety of both pets and their owners, pets should be kept inside. Walks should be done early in the morning with water breaks.

If you see an animal left outside or in a hot vehicle, the Brandywine Valley SPCA can be called at 202-888-7387.

D.C. leaders also want to remind people to make sure they’re checking in on seniors and vulnerable neighbors.

Signs of heat-related illness

In a heatwave like this, knowing the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses is crucial.

Heat cramps can sometimes be the first sign of a more serious heat-related illness, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, according to the National Weather Service. Symptoms include painful cramps or spasms and can be treated by applying firm pressure to the muscle. As long as the person isn’t nauseous, they can also be given water.

If symptoms last for over an hour, worsen or the person vomits, seek medical attention.

There is also a risk of heat exhuastion, which is marked by the following symptoms:

If these symptoms last for over an hour, get worse or vomiting occurs, seek immediate medical attention, the National Weather Service said.

Move the person to a cooler area, loosen their clothing, offer sips of water and apply cool, wet cloths or have them sit in a cool bath.

Also look out for heatstroke, which is always a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated quickly. If heatstroke is suspected, call 911 or get the person to the hospital, per the National Weather Service.

In the meantime, try to reduce their body temperature using cool, wet cloths or a bath. A fan can also be used, but only if the heat index is below 90 degrees, otherwise it could do more harm than good.

The symptoms are not that different than those of heat exhaustion and can include:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Body temperature above 103 degrees
• Hot, red, dry or damp skin
• Rapid and strong pulse
• Fainting or loss of consciousness

People taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications should be especially cautious, as many common ones raise the risk of developing a heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Never leave children or pets alone in a vehicle

Within 10 minutes, the temperature inside a car can get 19 degrees higher than it is outside, according to StormTeam4. So with temperatures being in the 90s this week, it can be over 100 degrees inside a vehicle.

Cracking a window is not effective in alleviating the heat, and staying in a hot car can be fatal, with victims often being children or pets.

Thirty-nine children died of heatstroke in vehicles in 2024, up 35% from 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It only takes 15 minutes for an animal to suffer from heat-related illness or death in a vehicle.

Make sure car doors are locked and that keys are out of the reach of children so they aren’t able to get in by themselves. Always lock the doors after leaving the car and check the back seats.

Earlier in the day, the US struck three Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – using its B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,” Trump said. 

Read More: Iran ‘reserves all options’ to defend itself after US strikes, says foreign minister

In New York, the NYPD ramped up patrols in certain areas. “We’re tracking the situation unfolding in Iran,” the NYPD posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter, adding, “Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.” No specific threats have been reported yet. 

Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department issued a similar statement: “The Metropolitan Police Department is closely monitoring the events in Iran. We are actively coordinating with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to share intelligence in order to help safeguard residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia.”

The MPD noted no known threats but increased presence at religious sites. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the situation on X: “There are no known credible threats at this time and out of an abundance of caution, LAPD is stepping up patrols near places of worship, community gathering spaces and other sensitive sites. We will remain vigilant in protecting our communities.” 

Read More: B2 deployment, US strike, Trump’s threat: Israel-Iran conflict deepens in 24 hours | All that happened

The LAPD coordinated with state and federal agencies. 

Paul Mauro, a former NYPD Inspector and Fox News contributor, explained the strategy: “[NYPD] will put out special attention patrol cars at locations that could track to the conflict in places that have an Israeli connection, and there’s a couple of Shia mosques – Iran, is Shia – and there are a couple of Shia mosques. You never know what’s going to develop. So [they’ll] liaise with those communities. They’ll talk to them, they’ll put special patrol, special attention patrol.” 

He added, “In some instances, they’ll even put out what they call a ‘HOW’ car, which is called a ‘house of worship car,’ which is, they’ll park a marked car right in front of the location.”

Mauro emphasized monitoring online threats: “You’re going to look very closely online. You’re going to be monitoring a lot of the online stuff. NYPD has a very robust cyber counterterrorism program, and you’re going to do that very heavily.” 

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb is slamming a city nonprofit and its former CEO with a lawsuit which claims they misused grant money.

Now, the city wants those dollars back.

In a release, Schwalb’s office said the anti-violence organization Women in H.E.E.L.S. received funding in the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years for violence reduction programs in the Congress Heights neighborhood to support local women and girls.

The grant was awarded to the organization in March 2022 as part of Cure the Streets, the Office of the Attorney General’s violence reduction program. Women in H.E.E.L.S. was picked to run one of the program’s sites in Congress Heights.

Former CEO Ikeia Hardy is accused of diverting $57,302.48 in grant funds from the charity to her personal checking account.

“As soon as we become aware of this illegal conduct, we terminated the Women in H.E.E.L.S. grant. Now, we are seeking to recover the misappropriated funds and ensure that they are redirected toward public safety efforts in the District,” Schwalb wrote.

The nonprofit is also accused of failing to return more than $200,000 in unspent money after their grant agreement was terminated. Another $153,500 in funds from 2022 is being sought because, according to the lawsuit, the nonprofit never provided documentation to support the spending of that money.

In addition to seeking a return of those funds, the lawsuit also claims there was “a prohibited conflict-of-interest transaction with a consulting firm owned by a WIH managing employee,” in violation of D.C. law and the grant agreement terms.

The lawsuit states the charity lost its federal tax-exempt status on Feb. 15, 2023, and has also lost its nonprofit status with the District.

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