Phoenix has seen a series of records tied and broken from the extreme heat this month, with high lows and the longest streak of temperatures above 110.
Mayor Kate Gallego joined President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., on Thursday as he announced multiple heat preparedness plans.
Biden has asked the Department of Labor to create a new heat Hazard Alert, to inform employers and workers about how to stay protected.
He also announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will invest $7 million to improve weather forecasts.
Biden says the high temperatures impact vulnerable communities the hardest.
“Seniors, people experiencing homelessness, who have nowhere to turn disadvantaged communities that are least able to recover from climate disasters," the president said.
Gallego says Phoenix has been on the front lines of the climate crisis.
“We deal with this heat on an annual basis, so we've been focused on preparedness from day one and really trying to prepare for what is for us a long-term emergency," Gallego said.
The Labor Department is set to ramp up enforcement of heat-safety violations and increase inspections of high-risk industries, such as construction and agriculture.
