Extreme Heat Safety

Learn how to stay safe during a heat wave and how to treat heat-related illness like heat exhaustion.

An extreme heat event is a series of hot days, much hotter than average for a particular time and place. Extreme heat is deadly and kills more people than any other weather event. Climate change is making extreme heat events more frequent, more severe, and last longer. But we can take action to prepare. Prepare now to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Arizona & New Mexico’s Extreme Heat Door Hanger Campaign

Feeling hot? You’re not alone. Last year was the hottest year on record, and scientists warn that 2024 could also break records.

In response to a record-breaking summer last year in the Southwest that resulted in hundreds of heat-related deaths in Arizona and New Mexico, the Red Cross is launching a door-hanger campaign focused on getting life-saving information into the hands of those who need it most. The campaign highlights the dangers of extreme heat and the importance of checking in on neighbors and vulnerable populations to prevent heat-related illness and deaths this summer.

Leveraging the power of community and local volunteers, the Red Cross is organizing a grassroots effort to distribute 150,000 door hangers in high-risk neighborhoods. In collaboration with partner organizations and volunteers, the door hangers will offer vulnerable populations, such as the unhoused, the elderly, and those who work outside, information on how to beat the heat.

Sign up to Volunteer for the door hanger campaign

“People don’t realize how dangerous high temperatures can be, even for short periods of time,” said Edgar Olivo, CEO of the American Red Cross of Arizona & New Mexico. “While residents might be used to the summer heat, they are not used to extreme heat, and the lack of awareness is taking lives.”

Various resources, such as calling 2-1-1, are available to help beat the heat this summer, including cooling centers, hydrations stations, and respite centers.