The United States is expected to experience a particularly hot summer in 2024, with above-average temperatures forecasted for much of the country. High temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke and exacerbate chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Vulnerable populations like the elderly, young children, and those with preexisting health conditions are especially at risk.
In response to addressing extreme heat as a public health issue, the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently announced $4.55 million in funding for two virtual centers of excellence to support community heat monitoring and resilience as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The two centers are:
- The Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring will receive $2.3 million in funding to support community science observations and data collection on extreme heat so communities can observe, monitor and evaluate factors influencing heat risk at a local scale.
- The Center for Heat Resilient Communities will receive $2.25 million in funding to support communities in determining the best strategies for local heat mitigation and management, leveraging federal investments to enhance heat resilience, and using decision-support tools to develop data-driven and equity-centered heat strategies.
Within the Center for Heat Resilient Communities, Jason Douglas, PhD, vice chair and associate professor of health, society, and behavior, from the UC Irvine Program in Public Health, serves as co-leader for its core called Capacity-Building through Community Engagement. This core is tasked with engaging a wide variety of stakeholders – from community members at the “grassroots” to those who hold power at the “grasstops” – to improve the credibility, salience, and legitimacy of environmental action; develop trust; and improve the quality and durability of decisions.
Dr. J joins a cadre of diverse expertise and knowledge from the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. This Center will directly fund communities and tribal entities across the U.S. impacted by extreme heat and ultimately help advance our understanding of where heat is distributed and who is most at risk.
“As the largest climate investment in history, I am honored to be part of a movement that is embedding a community lens into our efforts on understanding and preventing heat-related illnesses for not only our most vulnerable populations but our whole country’s wellbeing,” shares Douglas. “Extreme heat impacts everyone regardless of race or income.”
