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Red Cross opens cooling station for Buckeye residents left without power

Posted at 5:10 PM, Jul 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-30 21:27:38-04

People in Buckeye have been waiting all day Saturday for their air conditioning, and other appliances, to kick back on after Friday night's storms caused severe damage to power lines.

Looking to help, the American Red Cross took action in that community by opening a 'cooling station' at Buckeye Union High School.

Inside, air conditioning is a welcomed amenity for those who have been suffering without it for hours. The organization also has  coolers full of cold water and snacks. There are places for people to sleep if their power still is not restored by the evening hours.

"Everybody's been very thankful that have stopped by and we may or may not have more people come stay with us tonight - we're, of course, worried about more storms, but we're here if it happens and we're ready to help," said Joy Richards, with the American Red Cross.

With another storm a possibility Saturday or Sunday, the Red Cross said its shelter will stay open in Buckeye as long as there is a need.

WATCH: Incredible lightning lights up the Valley

Buckeye police also put out safety information on Facebook for residents, asking people to not approach a downed power line if they see one in their community. Instead, officers asked sighting of downed lines to be reported by calling 911 due to the potential risk of electrocution.

The department also reported it received hundreds of calls for storm-related concerns Friday night. However, the majority were not for any emergency but instead came from those curious as to when power service would be restored.

Buckeye police asked residents who lose power call their provider, like APS or SRP, to avoid overwhelming emergency services during severe weather.

Buckeye Police said, for those with non-emergency issues, to call the department at (623) 349-6400.

If you are an APS customer and want to check outages in your area, you can click here.