New Resources Help Communities Plan for Extreme Heat

Heat-related illnesses and death are largely preventable with proper planning, education and action. To help emergency managers and coordinators develop better awareness of heat risks, coordinate heat planning with emergency planning, and implement heat emergency response plans, the National Integrated Heat Health Information System released 2 new resources:

Introduction to Heat Tabletop Planning and Coordination

Introduction to Heat Tabletop Planning and Coordination: offers a 4-step plan to help communities develop and run a heat tabletop exercise. Tabletop exercises allow communities to test their response to high-impact heat events through simulated exercises so they can identify strengths and areas for further improvement.

A Maturity Model for Heat Governance

A Maturity Model for Heat Governance: offers a framework for leaders and decision-makers to assess their capacity to successfully manage heat risk across 10 unique dimensions. When used over time, the maturity model can help communities track their continued progress toward building heat resilience.