The Biden administration is launching Heat.gov tools for communities with high temperatures

Today, the Biden administration through interagency National Integrated Thermal Health Information System (NIHHIS) started heat.gov, a new website for the public and decision-makers to provide clear, up-to-date and science-based information to understand and reduce the health risks of extreme heat. Heat.gov provides a one-stop center for the nation’s heat and health and is a priority of President Biden’s National Climate Task Force and his Internet Task Force on extreme heat.

It has become very hot The biggest cause of death related to climate Over the last 30 years in the US – from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or severe colds – homicides More than 700 people a year. Also, the temperature crisis does not affect people equally. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme heat deaths affect Native Americans and black communities, as well as those living in inner-city or very rural neighborhoods.

The launch of Heat.gov is the ultimate measure to combat extreme heat. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Biden administration has invested in programs to build infrastructure to help communities deal with extreme heat, drought, wildfires and other heat-related disasters. In addition, the administration has made record investments to help families with their energy costs, including summer cooling.

“President Biden has ordered us to respond to the extreme heat that is gripping the country. Extreme heat is a silent killer, but it affects Americans more than any other weather emergency — especially our nation’s most vulnerable,” said Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor. “Heat.gov is a fun and accessible website designed to help everyone collaborate with their communities, state government and federal partners to take steps to reduce the deadly health effects of extreme heat.”

To serve the American people, Heat.gov provides maps, data, and information from a variety of disciplines inside and outside government that help communities make informed decisions every day and plan weeks and months ahead. The site features federal agencies including temperature data Temperature forecasts From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, the new National Climate and health perspective At the Department of Health and Human Services, C.C.C Temperature and health monitoring, as well as heat planning and preparedness guidelines. Heat.gov includes information on NIHIS programs; Events and news articles; Heat and Health Program Funding Opportunities; and information to help vulnerable communities.

“Tackling the climate crisis, including extreme heat, has been a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration, and at the Commerce Department we’ve been working to use every tool we can,” said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “Heat.gov uses innovation and data to help deliver timely and accurate information to the public. Because extreme heat conditions affect millions of Americans, this site helps all of our communities, including our most vulnerable, access the data, tools and resources they need to reduce the impacts of heat.”

July 2021 It was the hottest month on record on Earth, and winters are even hotter and deadlier. The annual average temperature of the United States has warmed over the past few decades. Planned To increase by 5 ° F – 8.7 ° F by the end of this century. Heat-related illnesses and deaths are largely preventable with proper planning, monitoring and education. City officials, an increasing number of heat prevention officers, as well as doctors, nurses, first responders, researchers and the general public, are asking for federal support to understand the complex and dangerous effects of extreme heat. Heat.gov helps meet the power’s need for heat and health tools and information.

“For the longest time, our most vulnerable populations are the bearers of extreme heat,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who established the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at HHS as President Biden’s first executive director. Order to deal with the climate crisis. “Heat.gov provides real tools and resources to help people who are suffering. It’s one more important step the administration is taking to address the effects of climate change on our health and lives.”

“Extreme heat is a global health threat, and it’s only getting worse because of human-induced climate change,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spirad, Ph.D. “Reducing our nation’s extreme heat risks requires a whole-of-government effort, which is why NOAA led a large federal coalition to create, launch and manage Heat.gov. This website will improve public health and help us build a climate-ready nation.”

“Currently, few health systems have heat action plans and heat exposure is rarely integrated into real-time clinical health decision-making for patients,” said Cecilia Sorensen, MD, associate professor and director of the group. Global Climate and Health Education Alliance External link at Columbia University. “With more frequent, intense and prolonged heat waves, there is an urgent need for health system preparedness to deal with the growing burden of heat-related diseases. These new tools allow health systems to easily access the information they need to increase climate preparedness and resilience, ultimately improving patient and community health outcomes, reducing systemic impacts, and improving health system efficiency.

Heat.gov is a collaboration of NIHHIS federal government partners, NOAA, CDC, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Forest Service, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

NOAA’s Climate Program Office and the National Weather Service partnered with the CDC to establish NIHIS to bring together all federal agencies and programs focused on community heat resilience to improve federal, state, and local capacity to reduce the health, economic, and infrastructure impacts of climate change. Heat.

Heat.gov was created in partnership with Esri, a geographic information systems company. The website is hosted on Esri’s cloud-based geospatial platform, which provides easy access to features such as local temperature data, links to temperature tools in the federal government, and the NOAA and NIHIS urban heat island map. Campaigns. The site supports open data access, allowing communities and planners to integrate federal heat information into their own decision-making.

To track recent high-temperature health resilience efforts from NOAA and NIHHIS; Subscribe External link to the Heat stroke newspaper External link.