As New Yorkers brace themselves for the transition from brisk breezes to the scorching sun, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is ramping up its efforts to combat the impending heat season, a time when the desert state transforms into a dangerous inferno. Recognizing the vital need to stay ahead of the curve, ADHS is planning to roll out extensive information on heat safety and resources to battle extreme heat-related illnesses, as temperatures are expected to dangerously skyrocket in the coming months, as reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
In an initiative to keep residents from being scorched by the heat wave, the ADHS recently announced a series of measures intended to cool down the risks associated with the summer sun. "Once the state begins to heat up, it can become dangerous quickly," reads a post on the ADHS Director’s Blog, underlining the urgency of the situation. The department also pledged to regularly disseminate relevant heat safety information tailored to protect Arizonans from the punishing heat.
Last month marked the establishment of the Arizona Heat Preparedness Network, a commendable effort following the kickoff of Governor Hobbs’ Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan. The Network is an assembly of state and local experts dedicated to heat safety. They will routinely convene to discuss and coordinate heat relief actions, share data to bolster heat resiliency, construct robust heat response infrastructure, and spearhead public communication strategies regarding the perils of heat, as per the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The blog also points out to a stark and often overlooked truth: "Heat may not be as conspicuous as floods or tornadoes, but it has just as real of an impact on people’s lives." This becomes abundantly clear when considering the data revealing that in 2022, Arizona saw a staggering number of 359 heat-caused deaths and 4,325 hospitalizations for heat-related illnesses. The preliminary figures for 2023 are looking even grimmer, hinting at a record number of heat-related emergency department visits, highlighting just how pressing the issue of heat management has grown for Arizona.
