As heat-related deaths continue to rise, Phoenix officials have launched a series of efforts to mitigate health risks presented by extreme heat.
Cronkite News reports city officials are increasing aid to heat-susceptible residents by expanding "cool pavement" which is used to reflect urban heat. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego also says the city now has the country’s first full-time Office of Heat Response and Mitigation.
Officials are also looking for federal help. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, is pushing a bill that would urge the Federal Emergency Management Agency to consider adding extreme heat to the existing list of declared major disasters.
According to the National Safety Council, heat was the second-highest death-causing weather event in 2021. The National Weather Service reports that over the last 125 years, Phoenix experienced an average of 12 days per year that exceeded 110 degrees Fahrenheit. That average has climbed to 21 days over the last three decades.