Offering a respite from the sweltering desert heat, cooling centers can mean the difference between life and death for victims of heat illness. But that’s only if they use one.

A new report from the Desert Research Institute’s Nevada Heat Lab takes a closer look at the effectiveness of the region’s cooling stations. Those air-conditioned buildings throughout Southern Nevada — mostly community centers and libraries — open their doors to the community when the National Weather Service issues an extreme heat warning.

Heat remains a concern for Southern Nevada, where 527 people died last year because of extreme temperatures. This year, 87 people have died so far in the heat in a summer that’s been more mild by comparison. Despite the cooler summer, Nevada’s two urban centers still rank as th

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