How to Monitor and Stay Safe in Extreme Heat, Using the CDC ’s New HeatRisk Tool

Extreme weather can be deadly, and the deadliest of all is extreme heat. Approximately 1,220 Americans die every year due to extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And more Americans die from heat than any other weather-related hazards—including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and cold—per the National Weather Service. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] That’s why the CDC and NWS have teamed up to roll out two experimental tools nationwide that will help public health officials and citizens to better prepare for dangerous heat. “Heat-related illness and death are preventable,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen said when announcing the new HeatRisk initiative. HeatRisk, which combines public health and historical temperature data to provide an index forecasting the potential impacts of heat on the human body, was conceptualized in 2013 and piloted in California before being expanded to the western U.S. in 2017. As of this week, it can now be used across the country. Here’s what to know. How do you use HeatRisk? There are two tools to access HeatRisk information: HeatRisk Dashboard and HeatRisk Forecast. The forecast tool is a prototype map hosted by the NWS that provides 7-day heat forecasts to help inform decisionmakers of heat conditions that could be harmful to public health, allowing them to plan responses. It’s also, at least for now, available to the public while the NWS s...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized climate change News Desk overnight Source Type: news