NYC EP Alert 8.27.24 | High Heat Advisory
Today the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) issued Health Alert #6 to be distributed to all those in health care responsible for emergency management.
For NYC: A heat advisory is in effect for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 28 from 11 am to 8 pm. Heat indices are expected to go as high as 101°F. The heat index is a measure combining high temperature and humidity.
Monitor weather conditions daily to keep workers informed, and be sure caregivers keep patients informed of weather alerts at each shift.
We encourage all providers and patients to sign up for NY Alert, the state’s Mass Notification System used to warn citizens in a timely manner of emergencies and provide other critical information.
Heat Advisory Highlights
Experts note that extreme heat is the deadliest extreme weather condition, adding that climate change is making New York City summers hotter.
Healthcare providers, including home and community-based services organizations, should anticipate and prepare for an increase in heat-related illnesses and complications among vulnerable populations. Most heat-related illness sufferers do not have (or don’t use) air conditioners and succumb in their own homes. Fans alone do not provide sufficient cooling.
DOHMH notes that Black New Yorkers have double the risk of death from heat than White New Yorkers due to the impact of various social drivers of health.
Home care agencies and other health care providers are strongly urged to contact their caregivers and most vulnerable patients to raise awareness and advise them to stay cool and well-hydrated. Be vigilant in monitoring for symptoms that indicate heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, heat cramps/exhaustion/stroke, and complications from heart and lung disease.
Instruct patients and caregivers to use home air conditioners or seek cooling centers or locations that are air-conditioned such as a mall, library, or supermarket. HCP reminds providers that home care workers are also safer in an air-conditioned environment during a high-heat event.
New York City residents can call 311 or visit the city’s cooling center website to find safe locations during a heat wave. Note that the NYC cooling centers (and the website tool) are only activated during times of high heat.
A list of cooling centers in other areas of the state can be found on the NYSDOH Cooling Center Locator.
More Information
The NYC Emergency Management heat topics website offers more information, including how to prepare your home, ways to help your neighbors, and how to recognize heat-related illnesses. Tips to conserve water and energy can also be found.
See the Heat Health website for providers maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a list of risk factors and tips for patient management. The list of medications increasing the risk of heat-related illness is also directly available from the CDC.
Note that the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) cooling assistance benefit for 2023-2024 closed on July 19, 2024.
Visit the Department of Environmental Conservation website for more information on NY State efforts regarding extreme heat and its effects on individuals.