It's hot in the Valley. Here's how Phoenix plans to deal with heat this summer

Taylor Seely, Arizona Republic
·7 min read
2

As Valley residents swelter through a string of 110-degree days that has the region heading toward its longest heatwave on record, Phoenix officials have mapped out dozens of tactics to provide heat relief this summer, including old, new and revised ideas.

Phoenix's heat office, which hired its first director in October 2021, released its plan for this summer in April. The document lists 31 strategies that target residents citywide as well as specific populations, such as individuals experiencing homelessness, low-income people, renters, children and hikers.

Some ideas are old, like providing first responders with heat education. Some are unique, such as partnering with Google and a handful of universities to study heat-related searches. Others are brand new, including a new mobile drinking water unit to deliver water to people in need and an educational heat booklet for kids.

Here's what the city says about how it is addressing heat for different populations.

People experiencing homelessness

  • Volunteers and city staff will take 80 shifts this summer to help steer individuals to cooling centers, hydration stations and heat relief supplies. It's part of the "We're Cool Volunteer Program," which is expected to include 40 volunteers from Arizona State University's Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, APS and the Maricopa County Medical Reserve Corps, a civilian group trained to respond to public health emergencies. This program is also intended to help hikers by placing volunteers at popular trailheads.

  • More supplies for regional nonprofits that deal with heat: Phoenix will use federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to buy 30,000 supplies for heat relief and respite.

  • More shade near the Human Services Campus/"The Zone": Three shade and cooling tents have been installed in the last two years, plus a chilled water station at a tent near Ninth Avenue south of Jackson Street.

  • Additional shelters underway: City officials say they continue to work toward building shelters to house people experiencing homelessness. They've hit a few snags, such as halting a shelter planned for Lower Buckeye Road due to environmental problems found in the soil. The city also recently announced a structured campground, which will primarily house people from The Zone, the state's largest encampment. The campground will include security, bathroom facilities and water.

Children

  • Heat safety activity books will be distributed at Phoenix public libraries. "City staff partnered with ASU to develop age-appropriate curriculum and a local artist was commissioned for the graphic design. The activity book, geared toward students in first through third grades, is an educational guide to promote awareness about staying safe during the summer heat," according to the heat office's plan.

  • Help educate students, school staff, coaches and parents about symptoms of heat illness and preventative steps to avoid it by promoting the state health agency's "School Heat Safety Toolkit."

Renters

  • City cooling law: Residential homes in Phoenix have to be capable of cooling rooms to 86 degrees Fahrenheit if cooled by evaporative cooling and 82 degrees Fahrenheit if cooled by air conditioning. Renters whose landlords are not providing these conditions can file complaints to the city's Neighborhood Services Department.

  • Information is available about your rights as a landlord or tenant related to cooling, provided by Phoenix's Human Services Department.

When will it rain in Phoenix? Some parts of the Valley have seen a bit of rain already

Seniors or those who live alone

  • Wellness calls: Volunteers will call residents who opt into the "Cool Callers" outreach program to ask about the resident's health and if the home is cool enough. Callers will refer them to Phoenix's emergency utility assistance program plus other heat relief services if needed. The city hopes to see 20 volunteers reach 300 residents this summer.

Low- to moderate-income people

  • Home weatherization assistance program: Phoenix's Neighborhood Services Department provides grants to help residents repair their homes to improve indoor cooling. The income limits start at $29,160 for a one-person household. Add $10,280 to the limit for each additional household member.

  • Emergency utility assistance: Residents in need can reach out to the city's Human Services Department by calling 602-534-AIDE.

  • City will suspend water shutoffs: Residents who struggle to pay their water bills can be part of a three-month low-flow program, in which the city reduces your water pressure, allowing the customer water for basic needs.

  • Improving staff knowledge of utility disconnection rules: The governing board that regulates utility, the Arizona Corporation Commission, changed utility disconnection rules in 2021. Phoenix officials say they're working with employees department-wide to ensure they know the rules and can accurately relay information to residents.

Leading the heat response: Phoenix names a heat officer, with a goal of easing the risk of rising temperatures

Hikers

  • Volunteers will visit hiking trailheads to provide information about heat relief centers.

  • Large signage will be posted at trailheads with information on heat safety.

  • Park Rangers trained in heat illness symptoms will be deployed to popular trailheads on days when the temperature exceeds 110 degrees Fahrenheit to provide heat relief information. Five-gallon water coolers will be available where possible, according to the heat office's plan.

  • Dogs are barred from Phoenix trails when temperatures exceed 100 degrees.

  • Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain will be closed between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on days when the National Weather Service issues excessive heat watches.

  • Parking lots at certain trailheads will see extended hours to promote hiking during cooler parts of the day.

Workers

  • Phoenix's heat office will work to connect businesses with the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health. ADOSH provides heat stress prevention training.

  • Phoenix's heat office will take emails and calls from workers about workplace heat safety "to help the City contribute to the ongoing federal rulemaking process related to occupational heat safety," according to the plan.

Transit users

  • Audio messaging at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and light rail platforms about heat relief and education.

  • Transit security will be equipped with cards that provide information about heat resources.

  • Installing new shade structures at transit stops. The city has installed 512 new shade structures since 2018, according to the plan. Phoenix also published a goal in 2010 to reach shade 25% of the city with trees by 2030. Now, the city says they want to revise that goal in the name of equity, focusing shade in areas that need it most. The city's 2020 transportation plan calls for a cool corridors program that would plant 1,800 trees.

Climate: Low-income and Latino neighborhoods endure more extreme heat in the Southwest, study shows

Those struggling with substance abuse

Those in immediate need

  • Police and fire will continue to respond to those in need of help. The Fire Department's Community Assistance Program can also respond when appropriate.

  • The city is working to improve communication between the city's 3-1-1 helpline and the state's 2-1-1 helpline.

Tactics to help everyone

  • 10,000 aluminum water bottles with Phoenix-specific heat safety advice and resources printed on the bottles will be given out by city staff and volunteers of the "We're Cool" program.

  • More than 100,000 plastic water bottles will be given out at city facilities participating in the regional Heat Relief Network program. This is an intentional reduction from 500,000 last year because the city is upping efforts to deploy reusable aluminum water bottles.

  • A new mobile water unit, modeled after the water trailer in Avondale, will be deployed to high-need areas to fill up 4,400 water bottles at a time. The unit is still being built and has not yet been deployed, according to a city spokesperson.

  • Raises for lifeguards to open more pools. The city tried signing bonuses to attract more lifeguards but the effort has fallen short. Eleven of 29 city pools will remain closed this summer.

  • Study search data: Phoenix will partner with Google, Boston University, ASU and the University of Arizona to study search data to improve heat response programs.

  • Heat relief network: Phoenix will designate more than 50 facilities, such as libraries, as cooling centers or hydration stations. Information available at hrn.azmag.gov. HRN stands for heat relief network.

  • Weekly communication between the city, state and other agencies to discuss weather conditions, heat-health impacts.

Reporter Taylor Seely covers Phoenix City Hall for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com, by phone at 480-476-6116 or on Threads @taylor.azc.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix heat: How the city will provide relief this summer