Last night Frank Heinz of KXAS-TV (Channel 5) reported that Dallas County Health and Human Services had set up its annual Dallas Heat Hotline at 214.819.6001 to help low-income residents survive the soaring summer temperatures. The program annually installs 5,000 window units to help the elderly, disabled, and families with small children.
Since Tim tests the Dallas Observer‘s “hottie line” on Fridays, we decided to call the Dallas Heat Hotline number this morning. The young lady, who took the call, politely admitted she didn’t know of a “Heat Hotline” and checked with her supervisor who recommended calling 214.819.1909.
And what happened when that number was called?
We asked if this was the Heat Hotline and another polite woman said that this was the weatherization department and it didn’t handle heat emergencies. . . “You should call 214.819.6001.” We told her that it wasn’t an emergency and we were calling about the window unit program. She told us that we would have to get on a list and to do that we would have to fill out an application for consideration.
Okay, so long story made short.
- If you know a low-income resident who fits in one of the categories (elderly, disabled, or has small children) and is in need of an A/C window unit, call ASAP 214.819.1909 for an application to get on the list.
- If you know of someone in an emergency situation regarding the heat, call 214.819.6001. Hopefully, you won’t have to fill out an application. Or, better yet, call 911.
Sorry, but we’re not providing a link to the DCHHS because they’re having a plumbing problem as Tim noted in “Leading Off.”
