Heat is the deadliest type of weather catastrophe in America, and one of the most underestimated. As the Earth keeps heating up, record highs are triggering heat emergencies across the country. With climate change, heat waves are getting worse, lasting longer, and are getting larger geographically. For example, the 2021 "heat dome" covered the Pacific Northwest, driving temperatures to record levels. In Multnomah County, Oregon alone, 72 people died, and hundreds were killed across the region. The majority of people who passed away were elderly and alone, with no way to get the care they needed to survive the heat.
The rising temperatures pose deadly risks to vulnerable populations, like older individuals, outdoor workers, low-income families, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. Elderly people are also likely to have underlying medical conditions or be taking medications that interfere with hydration and temperature regulation. To make the situation worse, many of them live by themselves and have no family members or caregivers visiting to check on them, especially during a heatwave.
Construction workers, farm workers, groundskeepers, and firefighters work extensively outdoors in the direct sun. With little relief from shade or regular breaks, the heat puts outdoor and commuting workers at risk for heat exhaustion and heatstroke, along with long-term health problems. Far worse, however, is that many lack health insurance or adequate medical care. The CDC estimates that thousands of heat-related illnesses are reported every year among outdoor workers.
Low-income families are likely to live in neighborhoods that are most affected by the urban heat island effect, raising neighborhood temperatures several degrees. Over 11.5 million people in rural ZIP codes face high heat vulnerability due to older populations, higher rates of chronic health conditions, inadequate housing and cooling infrastructure, and limited access to public cooling spaces. These families live in poorly air-conditioned apartments, trailers, or houses with no air conditioning at all. Even if there is AC, the cost of its constant use is unaffordable. Some have to make impossible decisions between cooling their homes and buying food or medicine.
Solutions include establishing cooling centers, providing shade and cool drinking water for workers, improving housing, and creating a 'check-in culture' by encouraging individuals to adopt a neighbor during heat warnings. Schools, libraries, religious institutions, and shady parks can all be heat-safe sanctuaries.