Summer is right around the corner, and it’s time to get ready for the sweltering heat season from May to September, when Arizona becomes one of the hottest places on earth. No one is risk-free when it comes to deadly summer heat. Arizona hospitals saw an annual average of 2,858 heat related emergency department visits [...]
Memorial Day signals the start of summer break for many kids in Arizona as well as triple digit temperatures. Many people are preparing for upcoming outdoor activities with friends and family. While enjoying the holiday grilling or relaxing by the pool, it is important to remember safety tips to protect yourself from the Arizona heat and sun. Despite heat-related illnesses being [...]
Publicly displaying vital public health information can help engage community partners in understanding emerging diseases of concern as well as identify whether public health interventions are improving the health of Arizonans. Our newly established Environmental Public Health Tracking Program furthers this strategy by distributing environmental health surveillance data to help public health practitioners, healthcare providers, community members, policy [...]
Temperatures in Arizona during the summer soar, and heat-related illnesses are common. Anyone can be susceptible to heat-related illness, but those at greatest risk are children under age four, adults over age 65, homeless people, outdoor workers, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications. Following some simple safety tips [...]
Note: This week is National Public Health Week. This week I have a five-part public health series that explores the vast network of programs and services that help improve the health and wellness of all Arizonans. Arizona is a diverse state with a wide range of weather. This can lead to extreme heat in the [...]
The high temperatures over the past few days have resulted in 13 out of 15 Arizona counties to be under an Excessive Heat Warning. Exposure to these temperatures can put you at additional risk for a heat-related illness. Most vulnerable are adults age 65 and older, those who work or exercise outdoors, infants and children, the [...]
While many parts of the country are still in the throes of extreme winter weather, here in Arizona, we're seeing warmer temperatures and beautiful weather. This is the time of year Arizonans are outside getting active. It's a great time to go for bike rides, take walks around the neighborhood, get the kids and dogs out [...]
In Arizona it doesn’t have to be summer for the temperatures to soar. With the first 100 degree day in Phoenix today, we know the scorching heat is right around the corner. High outdoor temperatures aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re dangerous. Heat is the number one killer weather-related cause of death in Arizona and across [...]
Heat is the number one killer among all weather related causes of death across the country and in Arizona… more than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires combined. It doesn’t get much attention because it’s hard to take a picture of heat- but it’s easy to take a picture of hurricanes and tropical storms. The AZ [...]
We already broke the 100 degree mark in the Valley this week. It won’t be long before the heat’s here to stay. Heat is one of the most dangerous weather situations in public health – actually it’s the #1 weather-related killer. Last year 152 Arizonans died from heat exposure.... with 80% happening in June, July and August. The largest [...]
