SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Amidst the intense heat, a local man in Savannah sought relief at one of the city’s cooling centers, which provided him with water, air conditioning, and a sense of community on Monday.

With five cooling locations available in the city, the Tompkins Regional Center is one such place where Rodarious Jenkins is maximizing the use of the city’s offerings.

“You can meet new people, everything,” Jenkins said. “You come here to play basketball and get on a computer.”

According to Savannah’s city guidelines, cooling centers are opened when the heat index reaches 108 and the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory. Jenkins shared that having access to such locations has been instrumental in helping him avoid heat-related illnesses or even more serious consequences.

“I’m really thankful because you don’t get a lot of this,” he said.

You may find him taking advantage of the amenities, like the pool, of course with caution.

“They might catch me taking a little dip in the pool,” he said. “It gets up there.”

He also gave one final piece of advice.

“Make sure you have the AC on auto blast and don’t go outside,” Jenkins said. “If you ain’t working or you ain’t got a job right now, you shouldn’t be going outside.”