As Arizona braces for another sweltering summer, health officials are ramping up efforts to avoid a repeat of last year's harrowing death toll, which climbed above 900 due to extreme heat. In a State initiative led by Dr. Eugene Livar, Arizona's appointed Heat Officer, strategies are being implemented to ensure more cooling centers are available and functional air conditioning units are in place in homes to mitigate the threat posed by rising temperatures. According to a news conference held on Friday and reported by FOX 10 Phoenix, Livar, along with officials from Phoenix, Tempe, and Maricopa County, emphasized the necessity of better preparedness in the face of such unwavering heat.
Livar pointed out, while acknowledging last year's staggering fatalities, "We cannot control it, even though we can control our preparation in response," demonstrating a multifaceted approach that involves not just government agencies, but also non-profits and local governments for a more unified front. Arizona has launched, what borders on, an all-out offensive against the menace of extreme heat. This push comes as federal agencies like the National Weather Service and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduce new online heat-risk systems designed to better protect residents with advances like a simplified color-coded seven-day forecast for the hot climate.
Tempe Mayor Corey Woods committed to the cause, stating, "Our community is committed to ensuring that everyone has a safe place to survive the summer heat," during the Arizona Heat Awareness Week proclamation as reported by AZ Family. The state's intensified fight against the heat includes mobile cooling centers, extended hours at cooling and respite centers, and the inaugural opening of 24-hour cooling centers in Phoenix.
In a collective gesture of solidarity, community groups, faith organizations, and government bodies are pooling resources, a vital collaborative highlighted by Arene Rushdan of the Arizona Faith Network, who personally reached out to unsheltered individuals in Glendale parks, offering them guidance and manifesting the kind of direct assistance "they were surprised and thankful" to receive. Moreover, Maricopa County's medical director, Rebecca Sunenshine, highlighted the fact that "vast majority of [heat-related death victims] actually have a/c built in but its either not functioning or not turned on," signaling a critical area of intervention where the county has set up programs to assist with utility bills and air conditioning unit repairs and established a 24-7 call center accessed through AZ-211 to help those in need.
