Heat Relief

CDC - Extreme Heat and Your Health

KEY POINTS

• Heat related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact, approximately 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year.
• This website provides helpful tips, information, and resources to help you stay safe in the extreme heat this summer.

Extreme heat is defined as summertime temperatures that are much hotter and/or humid than average. Because some places are hotter than others, this depends on what’s considered average for a particular location at that time of year. Humid and muggy conditions can make it seem hotter than it really is.

Better understand the health effects of extreme heat with this June 2024 article from the CDC.

ADHS - Extreme Weather & Public Health

Heat Safety - Heat-Related Illness

Arizona typically experiences long periods of high temperatures from May to September. Frequent triple-digit temperatures can increase a person's risk for a heat-related illness. Nearly 3,000 people visit Arizona emergency rooms because of heat-related illnesses annually. Some heat-related illnesses can even be fatal. More than 3,200 people have died from excessive exposure to heat from 2012 to 2022.

As a result, the Arizona Department of Health Services has developed a Heat Emergency Response Plan, a Heat Safety Resource Guide, and a bilingual Heat Brochure.

Heat Relief Networks are in place in Maricopa, Pima County and Yuma County. These heat relief networks provide maps of free air-conditioned spaces to get out of the heat, free water, and places to donate water.

To sign up for email alerts and information regarding extreme heat warnings, check out the instructions on our Extreme Weather and Public Health homepage.

CR's Ultimate Heat Survival Guide

"Sweltering temperatures have become a worrisome part of summer's new normal. Here's what you need to know to stay comfortable and safe this season, wherever you are."

"We’re running out of ways to describe our summer weather. Last year was one for the record books: Phoenix endured 31 days in a row above 110° F. Miami’s heat index was over 100° F for 46 days straight. And even the Twin Cities of Minnesota had 33 days of 90° F (more than twice as many as average). Elsewhere on the globe, Sardinia, Italy, hit almost 119° F, while Japan recorded its hottest year in over 130 years. Overall, 2023 emerged as the hottest year on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which gave 2024 a 61 percent chance of surpassing that record.

Extremely hot weather isn’t just unpleasant, it’s a serious health risk. More than 1,200 people die from extreme heat every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Last summer, we constantly saw heat- and air-quality-related issues, especially for those taking different medications for conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes,” says Rachel Marquez, MD, a family medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente in Virginia. “Heat-related illness—from the dizziness, nausea, and cramping of heat exhaustion to the slurred speech and weakness of heatstroke—can happen more easily at lower body temperatures for these individuals.”

This comprehensive June 2024 article from Consumer Reports provides a lot of insight on the impact of severe heat and how to prepare for it.

How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer Heat

7 strategies to prevent your pet from overheating

"In some places this summer, going outside can feel like walking into an oven turned up to broil. And if humans feel that way as they venture out, furry pets feel it more."

This July 2022 article from AARP does strategies to help keep your pet cool in extreme summer heat.

"Dogs cool themselves by panting. But panting becomes inefficient in extreme heat, during physical exertion, when a dog is dehydrated, when there’s insufficient ventilation or due to a combination of those factors.​

​Within minutes, a dog can become overheated, which can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, kidney failure, brain damage and even death, veterinarians say."

2-1-1 Arizona (877-211-8661)

We connect you to the resources you need.

2-1-1 Arizona transforms lives by linking individuals and families to vital community services throughout Arizona.

We are trusted, local, nonprofit organization providing you with access to 35,000+ community resources including housing, health, food, employment services and so much more.

You can contact 2-1-1 (or 877-211-8661) if you have questions about:

• Human Services
• Health Needs
• Emergency Food
• Crisis Counseling
• Rental Assistance
• Mental Health
• Legal Assistance
• Financial Assistance
• Disability Resources
• Support Groups
• Community and Government Services
• Volunteering and Donating
• Utility Assistance

Or other assistance you may need.

Also, see the Assistance for Economically Disadvantaged, Elderly and/or Homebound category for more information and resources.

FREE 24/7/365 CONFIDENTIAL

Hydration & Heat Relief in Pinal County - Summer 2024

"There are many locations throughout the County where you can cool off in the air conditioning or get water.

Click on a red pin below for location, hours of operation, and contact information for each site."

Check out this site for cooling station locations.

Also, remember to keep an eye on vulnerable family and friends. Should their HVAC system breakdown or fail to keep up with the heat they have an emergency situation. Find a way to move the affected person(s) to cool place and then call for a repair person.

If there is a need for financial assistance, try reaching out to home repair programs. CAHRA has a Minor Home Repair Program that might be of some assistance. For CAHRA programs, income limits will likely apply.

To reach CAHRA click on: Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA) is a private, non-profit corporation providing for the identified needs of people and communities of Pinal County. CAHRA builds firm foundations in partnership with communities by stimulating family cohesiveness and self-reliance.

CR's Ultimate Heat Survival Guide

"With temperatures rising, we’ve gathered the best ways to stay comfortable and safe—both inside and out—even on scorching hot days."

A July 10th, 2023, survival guide from Consumer's Report. Check it out!

7 Ways to Stay Cool on the Cheap

Beat excessive heat without breaking the bank.

"For budget-conscious older adults, blasting the air conditioner all day and stocking up on an endless supply of bottled water may not be ideal, but there are other ways to stay cool without breaking the bank, including these seven."

A July 2023 article from AARP with some inexpensive options to stay cool in extreme heat.

Older Adult Toolkit: Extreme Heat - Stay Safe When Our State Heats Up

Heat Safety - Older Adult Toolkit

Heat illness is a preventable condition, but has been the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), heat illness causes more deaths than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. From 2009 to 2019, over 2,000 deaths were caused from exposure to excessive natural heat. Of deaths among Arizona residents, 34 percent occurred in older adults over the age of 65. The Heat and Older Adults Safety Toolkit (HOAST) was created to provide older adults and caregivers information to stay safe in the heat.

An informative article from the Arizona Department of Health Services

Pet Heat Safety

Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe During Summer

The following tips are provided by The Humane Society of the United States:

. Never leave your pet in the car.

In nice weather you may be tempted to take your pet with you in the car while you travel or do errands. But during warm weather, the inside of your car can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even if you're parked in the shade. This can mean real trouble for your companion animals left in the car.

If you do happen to see a pet alone in a car during hot weather, alert the management of the store where the car is parked. If the owner does not return promptly, call local animal control or the police department immediately.

. Don't put your pet in the back of a truck.

It is very dangerous, and in some states illegal, to drive with a dog in the back of a pick-up truck. Not only can flying debris cause serious injury, but a dog may be unintentionally thrown into traffic if the driver suddenly hits the brakes, swerves or is hit by another car. Dogs should ride either in the cab (in a crate or wearing a seat belt harness designed for dogs) or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck.

. Watch out for fertilizers and deadly plants.

Plant food, fertilizer and insecticides can be fatal if your pet ingests them. In addition, more than 700 plants can produce physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals.

. Provide plenty of fresh water.

To avoid pet heat exhaustion, make sure your pets have access to cool, fresh water all day long.

. Stay bite-free.

With people and dogs spending more time outside, dog bites are likely to increase in the warmer months. Spaying or neutering your dog reduces the likelihood that he will bite and provides many other health benefits.

. Keep your pets safe and healthy year-round.

Make sure your pet is always wearing a collar and identification tag. If you are separated from your pet, an ID tag may very well be his or her ticket home.

. Check with your veterinarian to see if your pets should be taking heartworm prevention medication.

Heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal in both dogs and cats.

. Another warm weather threat is fleas and ticks.

Use only flea and tick treatments recommended by your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter flea and tick products can be toxic, even when used according to instructions.

2-1-1 Heat Relief Information

"Arizona is one of the hottest places on earth from May to September. Heat-related illnesses are common during the summer, and some heat-related illnesses can even be fatal. Below you can find resources and tips to stay hydrated and safe in the Arizona heat. You can also call 211 to speak to a specialist about heat related services in your area.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency or any symptoms of heat-related illness, call 911 immediately."

Use the website below for more information.

Keep Pets Safe in the Heat

How to keep animals cool when temperatures soar.

"The summer months can be uncomfortable—even dangerous—for pets and people. It's difficult enough simply to cope with rising temperatures, let alone thick humidity, but things really get tough in areas that are hit with the double blow of intense heat and storm-caused power outages, sometimes with tragic results.

We can help you keep your pets safe and cool this summer. Follow our tips for helping everyone in your family stay healthy while hot."

This article from the Humane Society of the United States provides excellent hot weather advice for the safety of your pets.