The White House has developed a new website targeted at assisting Americans in surviving high temperatures in reaction to the extraordinary number of heatwaves wreaking havoc on the globe.
There is nearly too much information about excessive heat on the website HEAT.gov. There are many visual aids available, such as the Heat-Related Disease and Temperature map, which shows regional rates of first responder visits related to heat-related illness (and scarily red). On other pages of the website, safety advice is provided for when you must be outside. The part on preparing for the next heatwave includes information on enrolling in energy assistance programs and understanding the distinctions between heat fatigue and heat stroke. When they reach the section about putting together emergency kits and organizing family communication plans, people who have previously lived in earthquake- or hurricane-prone areas could even have a moment of déjà vu.
This is due to the fact that heatwaves are a dangerous and increasingly inevitable natural hazard, despite their cunning character. On Tuesday, as soon as it went up, HEAT.gov issued a warning that almost one in ten Americans were dealing with excessive heat. Climate change is predicted to make this situation worse. The site’s Climate Explorer tool predicts that between now and 2070, the average daily maximum temperature in New York County will rise from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 70.2 degrees, while the average daily maximum temperature in Dallas County may rise from 79.1 degrees to 84.3 degrees.
Although some people may be adapted to greater temperatures, those who are are more likely to be slightly spoilt with the appropriate infrastructure. (For instance, Phoenix, Arizona, where it is a requirement that all homes have air conditioning.) That does not imply, however, that the heat is not harmful in those areas. In areas with such infrastructure, hundreds of people die every year from illnesses brought on by the heat. Not only that, but temperatures are rising year over year in desert regions, not just in their more temperate counterparts. Whether you like it or not, everyone will receive a slice of the hot pie in the nation right now.
The Biden-Harris administration’s strategy to deal with excessive heat is claimed to include HEAT.gov as just one component. Several executive actions are described in a release from earlier this month, including funding for resilient infrastructure for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the prioritization of offshore wind energy, various workplace safety initiatives, and home energy assistance to assist families with cooling costs.
