The National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Has Released a New National Heat Strategy

Staff of US Department of Health & Human Services writes:

The National Integrated Heat Health Information System and the White House Interagency Working Group on Extreme Heat released a new strategy to aid federal agencies in developing science-based solutions and improving resources, communications and decision-making related to hazardous heat. The strategy introduces the challenges posed by extreme heat and climate change and an overarching approach to the problem, describes a series of guiding principles, and presents four goals focused on communications, science, solutions, and support.

The National Heat Strategy will build resilience to heat and address heat-related health concerns.

(Washington, DC) – The federal interagency National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) today released a National Heat Strategy for 2024-2030. The strategy aims to promote proactive coordination related to heat planning, response, and resilience.

The federal departments and agencies involved in developing this strategy acknowledge the impact of heat on the health and well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems, as well as associated economic and societal consequences. Roughly 1,220 people are killed by extreme heat in the U.S. every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making heat the nation’s leading weather-related killer.

“Extreme heat is not just an environmental crisis, it’s a serious threat to our public health – and communities across the country are struggling to respond. What we’re facing today wasn’t what we were experiencing 30 or 40 years ago. This is a different world we are in,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The National Heat Strategy recognizes the growing threat of heat, especially on vulnerable populations. The federal government is taking steps to build a heat-resilient future for our entire country, from helping families get air conditioners to protecting farmworkers from heat events and unsafe air. Every action we take, and every dollar invested in prevention, preparation, and heat health resilience, is a vital step towards ensuring a healthier and safer future for all.”

The strategy builds on the continuing efforts of 29 federal departments and agencies within NIHHIS, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These agencies and others across the Biden-Harris Administration work every day to address heat and its impact on health.