A sweltering summer day may not seem as dangerous as a hurricane or wildfire. But heat kills more people in the U.S. every year than any other type of weather-related hazard.
And as the climate warms, the risks are growing – even in northern states.
Agosto Filión: “One of the things that people don’t realize is that extreme heat is one of the deadliest impacts of climate change that we are already facing.”
Nathaly Agosto Filión is New Jersey’s deputy chief climate resilience officer.
Her state has recorded temperatures for about 130 years. The 15 hottest years in that time have all occurred since the year 2000.
Agosto Filión: “New Jersey is one of the fastest warming states in the country.”
But Agosto Filión says many residents are unaware of the seriousness of the threat.
Filión: “There was this sense that, I’m not affected, right? It always gets hot in the summer, that kind of feeling.”
So to help educate the public, the state launched a website called Heat Hub New Jersey.
It includes fact sheets about the physical and mental health impacts of extreme heat, a quiz people can take to assess their vulnerability or that of their loved ones, and tips for how to stay safe.
Agosto Filión says the information can help increase public understanding of the risks and how to protect themselves.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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