Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our office is open to visitors by appointment only. Please call or email from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
703-324-7136 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 533
Fairfax, VA 22035
John Morrill
Director

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AC Rescue Program

photo collage of volunteers fixing ac units

AC Rescue provides small air conditioning (AC) equipment help for low- and moderate-income Fairfax County residents who do not qualify for other cooling programs. AC Rescue does not provide financial assistance or bill payment services. AC Rescue is a program of Resilient Fairfax, which is led by Fairfax County's Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC). OEEC is partnering with the non-profit Rebuilding Together-AFF to run the AC Rescue program. If you need help figuring out if you are eligible, or if you have questions about the AC Rescue program, please email ResilientFairfax@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-7262. For more information about the AC Rescue program, please see the sections below.

For more information about extreme heat services and guidelines, please see the county’s Extreme Heat Resources page. For information about heat trends, please see the Resilience Metrics Dashboard.


ac rescue program process graphic showing referral and application, assessment and plan of action, and ordering steps

  1. Referral and Application: First, the resident is referred to AC Rescue. This usually happens when the resident is found to be ineligible for other cooling programs. Rebuilding Together-AFF speaks with the resident on the phone to begin the intake paperwork. 
  2. Assessment and Plan of Action: Next, a home visit is scheduled and completed. During this visit, professionals will assess the resident's electric and AC situation to create a safe plan of action. During the home visit, paperwork is also finalized. Renters will need to obtain permission from their landlords. 
  3. Ordering and Installs: AC equipment is ordered and/ or a contractor is assigned to make small repairs. Finally, AC Rescue personnel install, drop off, or make small repairs to the air conditioning equipment. All steps are completed free of charge for eligible participants. 

air conditioning safety net programs in the county

The county provides three cooling programs to help keep homes at safe temperatures during the summer. 

  • Cooling Assistance is a program for residents with very low income who meet age (0-5 or 60+) or disability criteria. Cooling Assistance focuses mostly on helping residents pay their electricity bills. The program runs from mid June - to mid August. This program is part of the federal LiHEAP program, with eligibility restrictions set at the state level. It is administered locally by the Department of Family Services (DFS) — Energy Assistance. (To apply for DFS Cooling Assistance, call 1-833-522-5582 or see other options). 
  • Senior Cool Care provides small cooling equipment to low-income, older citizens (aged 60+). The program runs from May 1 – October 31. This program is administered by the Department of Family Services (DFS) — Older Adults Services. (To apply for Senior Cool Care, call 703-324-7948).
  • AC Rescue is a “safety net” program for residents in serious need of cooling equipment help at home who are unable to receive equipment from the other cooling programs. There are no age or disability requirements for AC Rescue, and the program is open year-round. AC Rescue is open to low- and moderate-income households (up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI)) who have one or more occupied rooms without air conditioning.  AC Rescue is a partnership between OEEC and Rebuilding Together-AFF as part of Resilient Fairfax.

eligibility graphic

Age Eligibility for Cooling Programs
 

Age is a common reason residents may need AC Rescue. The table below illustrates the age requirements for each of the three cooling programs. DFS Cooling Assistance is open to residents with very low incomes who are aged 0-5, 60+, or federally designated as disabled. DFS Senior Cool Care is open to very low-income residents who are aged 60+. AC Rescue is open to residents of all ages. 

  0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 60+
DFS: Energy Assistance – Cooling Assistance (0-5 or 60+)                      
DFS: Senior Cool Care (Only for adults 60+)                        
Resilient Fairfax: AC Rescue (No age restrictions)


Income Eligibility for Cooling Programs

Income is another common reason that residents may need AC Rescue. DFS Cooling Assistance serves residents with very low incomes. AC Rescue serves a wider range of incomes (up to 80% Area Median Income). Staff can help with income determinations.

Maximum annual income for an average household size of 1 ~20% AMI
(150% Poverty)
30% AMI 40% AMI 50% AMI 60% AMI 70% AMI 80% AMI >80% AMI
DFS: Energy Assistance – Cooling Assistance               
Resilient Fairfax: AC Rescue (<80% AMI)  

 

The following are examples of residents who may be good candidates for AC Rescue:

  • Children above 5: The Garcia family have no AC at home. The children are aged 6 and 7. Because the children are not under the age of five and no family members are disabled, the family would not qualify for equipment from DFS’ Cooling Assistance. Therefore, they may be good candidates for AC Rescue. 
  • Adults under 60: Joe has no AC at home and has had heat-related illnesses. He lives alone and he is 55 years old. Because he is not over the age of 60, he would not qualify for equipment from DFS’ Cooling Assistance or Senior Cool Care. He may be a good candidate for AC Rescue.
  • Disability not federally recognized: Roberto is 35 and uses a wheelchair. There is no AC in his home. Although he is disabled, his disability is not federally recognized, and he is not above 60, so he would not qualify for equipment from DFS’ Cooling Assistance. Therefore, he may be a good candidate for AC Rescue. 
  • Income: Ana makes minimum wage and cannot afford a window AC unit. Her income is just above the threshold to qualify for DFS’ Cooling Assistance. She may be a good candidate for AC Rescue. 
  • AC Situation: The Smith family has one small window AC unit in the kitchen. The rest of the home, including all bedrooms, have no AC and become dangerously hot in the summer. Due to the AC unit in the kitchen, the Smith family would not qualify for equipment from DFS’ Cooling Assistance. However, they may be good candidates for AC Rescue.

harmony place team posing for a photo

The AC Rescue program is part of the implementation of Resilient Fairfax, the county's plan to adapt to warmer, wetter, weirder climate conditions. Building resilience to increasing temperatures and extreme heat includes enhancing access to and awareness of existing services and filling gaps in the safety net.

The AC Rescue program was piloted in the summer of 2024 and launched as a county program as of June 2025 (Read about the 2024 pilot: County Agencies and Partners Rally to Address Climate Emergency at Harmony Place.) The events during the summer of 2024 demonstrated that lack of AC access at home is a serious issue, and that there are many residents in need of AC equipment that do not qualify for existing cooling programs. AC Rescue program has great potential to fill a critical gap in services. 

To transform AC Rescue from a pilot into a county program, Fairfax County amended an existing Housing and Community Development (HCD) contract for Home Repair and Accessibility Modifications to add AC Rescue services. The contract has been awarded to Rebuilding Together-AFF, the same non-profit that worked on the AC Rescue’s pilot in 2024.

Heat is by far the most dangerous natural hazard in the United States, silently causing far more deaths and illnesses than any other climate hazard. In 2023, in the United States, heat caused more fatalities than hurricanes, flooding, lightning, tornados, winter storms, cold, wind, and rip currents combined. This issue is getting worse as temperatures rise. We can help by ensuring Fairfax County residents stay cool and safe.  For more information about heat trends, please see the Resilience Metrics Dashboard.  For more information about extreme heat services and guidelines, please see the county’s Extreme Heat Resources page. 

Chart showing weather fatalities in 2023, with Heat showing 555 total. Source: National Weather Service
Chart showing weather fatalities in 2023, with Heat showing 555 total. Source: National Weather Service
Chart showing total number of injuries and deaths by natural hazard from 1996-2024, with Heat and Excessive heat showing 40 total
Chart showing total number of injuries and deaths by natural hazard from 1996-2024, with Heat and Excessive heat showing 40 total

 


Fairfax Virtual Assistant