MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The heat is on! Now, more than ever, it's important to stay cool.

Beating the heat this summer can mean more than just staying inside and turning on your air conditioning.

During extreme heat conditions, everyone is urged to stay indoors. Sparrow Hospital suggests that closing blinds, turning on fans and making sure unnecessary appliances that may radiate heat are unplugged to help combat the heat.

As the temperature rises, so do health risks. Dehydration, severe sunburn, heat exhaustion, and even stroke can occur.

"So staying hydrated is the most important thing people can do, we often forget that energy drinks and caffeinated products; coffee don't count towards hydration, it's water you need to drink," said Dr. John Dery, Emergency Physician at Sparrow Hospital.

In order to avoid any heat-related health risks, stay inside and turn your thermostat down to help you stay cool while on a budget.

For some, air conditioning is not an option. But thanks to over a dozen cooling centers in the area, residents can stop in and take a break from the grueling temps.

Ingham County states that cooling centers are air-conditioned locations where people can go to get out of the heat for a few hours on hot days.

"Whether there's a power outage and they have lost their air conditioning at home, or whether they just don't have it at home, and we do get those high heat indexes, we want them to know that they're very welcome to come and spend time in the library and to use it as a place to cool down," said Ann Chapman, head librarian at Haslett Library.

Not only do these cooling stations relieve the heat, they also act as a public gathering place where people can connect with others. And sometimes they're just a place where one can simply relax.

"There was a man sitting in one of the big comfy chairs and he was reading a book, and he looked up and he said it feels so good in here, I've been working in a hot garage all day; this feels great," Chapman said.

The Foster Community Center, Meridian Senior Center and local businesses such as Meijer will act as cooling centers this summer for those who don't have air at home. Free rides to these centers are offered by the CATA and EATRAN.

If you need transportation assistance, rides are available by dialing 2-1-1. A list of cooling centers near you can be found on Ingham County's website.