Last summer, there were 608 heat related deaths in Maricopa County, which was the first decrease in heat-related deaths since 2014.
Across the Valley, nonprofit organizations are preparing for the extreme temperatures with heat relief programs and service accommodations.
Phoenix Rescue Mission operates Code: Red, aiming to provide heat relief to people experiencing homelessness in the form of water and other basic necessities.
Sean Little, senior director of marketing and communications with the mission, said the program is designed to ultimately lower the number of heat-related deaths.
“We have almost 50 people that are getting in vehicles every single day that are driving out, throughout various parts of the Valley, " Little said. “They’re equipped with bottles of water, they’re equipped with hygiene kits, but then they’re also case managers.”
The Keys to Change campus in Phoenix also offers a heat relief program, using a collaboration of 15 organizations housed there.
Kim Beaudoin, marketing and communications manager for Keys to Change, said the organization has its own Thirst Aid drive, raising money to provide heat relief. The campus also prioritizes accommodating its existing services to support those seeking shelter from extreme temperatures.
“St. Vincent de Paul is our food provider and employment provider,” Beaudoin said. They have extended hours to have movie days and cooling indoors in their dining room on campus.”
The need for heat regulation isn’t just a concern for nonprofits. The Maricopa Association of Governments runs a heat relief network from May 1 to Sept. 30. The network partners with organizations and businesses to provide cooling stations and hydration centers across the Valley.
Beaudoin said the street outreach team at Keys to Change is equipped with information on the network and makes sure to share it.
“They also hand out the Maricopa Heat Relief Network postcards, “Beaudoin said. “So that those that they're interacting with on the street have an easy pocket guide of where to go to seek that hydration, to seek that cool temperature and to stay safe out there.”
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