Extreme Heat is a Public Health Emergency All Year Round
Each summer, headlines across the country highlight record-breaking temperatures, unexpected heat waves, and tips for staying safe during extreme heat. But as climate change worsens, extreme heat is no longer just a summer issue. Heat events are starting earlier, lasting longer, and becoming more intense — posing increasingly dire health risks to people in communities nationwide.
In light of this, we need a greater public health response.
A new report from ecoAmerica and the American Public Health Association (APHA) calls for addressing extreme heat as a public health emergency. The report’s findings show that many Americans feel the direct health effects of extreme heat. However, most are unaware of local heat resources that could help, such as access and transportation to cooling centers, emergency alerts, assistance with paying electricity bills, and health services for heat-related illness.
The report also reveals that while Americans recognize certain groups, like older adults, children, and outdoor workers, as especially vulnerable to extreme heat, there is less awareness of how low-income individuals, underserved populations, pregnant people, and communities of color are disproportionately at risk. This highlights the need for more public education and targeted outreach.
As Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, Executive Director of APHA, states:
“Extreme heat is a public health issue that requires a unified and well-resourced response to reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths in all communities. This report highlights the public’s experience with extreme heat and reiterates the need for a more collaborative approach towards preparedness between federal, state, local, and community partners.”
What is not conveyed enough is this important and actionable fact: all heat-related illnesses and deaths are preventable. Responses must extend beyond the summer months and become a sustained, year-round effort. Health professionals are uniquely positioned to take action. Whether working in clinics, public health departments, or directly in the community, they can help raise awareness and improve access, advocate for policy changes, and advance extreme heat initiatives that protect vulnerable populations.
Ultimately, the report urges a more coordinated, inclusive, and proactive public health approach to extreme heat — one that matches the scale and urgency of the crisis.
Read the full report and learn how to take action by taking the Extreme Heat & Health: Strategies for Prevention and Action training, now available as a virtual, on-demand course!
About the Author
Amanda Li is an APHA Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fellow placed with ecoAmerica’s Climate for Health program.
Additional Resources
Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2025
Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023