Coping with heat in the US

SGGP July 12, 2023 07:43

To mitigate the impact of prolonged extreme heat, some cities in the US are implementing support measures through strengthening connections between residents and local authorities.

How a construction worker cools off in Washington DC

In recent times, heat preparedness in American cities has gradually improved as forecasts have become more accurate. Chicago has expanded its emergency text and email notification system and identified the most vulnerable residents to reach during peak heat waves. Chicago has also made many smart changes by implementing a heat emergency plan, regular health checks and creating cooling centers. In Baltimore, the “Extreme Heat - Code Red” warning system has been effectively applied. When the temperature index is forecast to be 40.5 ^degrees Celsius or higher, a warning is issued and activities such as increasing social services in the most vulnerable communities are initiated. Some cities, such as Miami, Phoenix and Los Angeles, have appointed officials dedicated to dealing with heat.

The US government has launched the interagency website Heat.gov, which provides a number of useful tools, such as a guide to the heat index, or monitoring and forecasting heat conditions and their health impacts. There are now some opinions that the Government should establish a federal heat response agency to monitor policies from idea to completion, as well as create specific plans to support areas that do not often face heat, such as the Pacific Northwest of the US. Although there have been significant improvements in dealing with heat, according to climate experts, the new steps in the US are still not enough when the world is witnessing continuous temperature records being broken and inequality exists for the most vulnerable.

Cities should respond by investing in sustainable development and promoting environmental protection solutions. “No city is really prepared for the worst-case scenario that some climate scientists fear,” said Eric Klinenberg, a professor at New York University. Heat is the leading cause of death in the United States compared to other weather disasters. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 1,300 people die from heat each year in the country.

Around the world , cities in many countries have adopted measures to deal with heat waves. France implemented a heat-monitoring warning system after a prolonged heat wave in 2003 killed 15,000 people, many of them elderly people living in apartments and city houses without air conditioning. The warning system includes public announcements urging people to avoid dehydration. In June, Germany launched a new campaign to combat heat-related deaths, inspired by the French experience.

After a severe heat wave in India in 2010 killed more than 1,300 people in Ahmedabad, city officials launched a plan to raise awareness among locals and health care workers, including painting roofs white to reflect sunlight.

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