Each year during the warmer months we share our heat mitigation protocols for our prisons. We do this to share the efforts we may take if a prison is in an area that experiences excessive heat.
Before posting our protocols, we share a reminder with Superintendents on the expectations, this year’s memo is linked below.
Facilities will communicate with incarcerated and staff when the need arises to implement the following efforts. However, the consistent approach at each facility is to ensure the safety and well-being of the incarcerated and our staff.
Mitigation efforts do vary by facility due to each facility’s unique layout, makeup and needs. The following are general efforts facilities may take during warmer months if necessary:
- Providing ice water,
- Making ice overnight to keep up with demand during the day,
- Cooling stations outside if needed, to include misting stations,
- Allowing incarcerated individuals shorts and t-shirts to be worn outside of units; allowing incarcerated individuals the ability to wear shower shoes with no socks,
- Allowing incarcerated individuals to wear wet towels,
- Making sunscreen available to incarcerated individuals who want to access the yard,
- Extra movement may be established for recreation for population to leave yard early,
- Medical staff should identify areas where patients can be housed if temperatures cannot be controlled in the infirmary,
Memo To All Superintendents Regarding Heat Mitigation Efforts