Cooked: How Extreme Heat Became America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster

by yaleglobalhealthreview, posted in Uncategorized

BY RISHI SHAH

In 2024, Earth experienced its hottest year on record, with global temperatures soaring 1.47°C (2.65°F) above pre-industrial revolution levels—an alarming milestone in a trajectory that shows no sign of slowing.1 Extreme heat is now the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, killing more people annually than hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes combined.2 Yet, despite its devastating toll, heat remains one of the most overlooked and underreported public health crises today.

The true scale of heat-related illness and heat-related mortality is vastly underestimated. Heat exposure doesn’t just cause heat stroke and exhaustion; it can also exacerbate cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and kidney failure.3 When someone dies of a heart attack during a heat wave, the role of extreme heat is often invisible on death certificates, leading to widespread undercounting. Studies suggest that the actual number of heat-related deaths may be two to ten times higher than official records indicate.3, 4 This data gap obscures the urgency of the crisis, allowing policymakers to sidestep necessary interventions.

Those most vulnerable to extreme heat—outdoor laborers, elderly individuals, low-income communities, and people experiencing homelessness—are also the least protected under federal legislation.3 Farmworkers and construction crews labor in punishing conditions without federally mandated heat protections. Many low-income neighborhoods, especially in historically redlined areas, lack trees and green spaces, making them significantly hotter than wealthier areas with more vegetation.5 And for millions of Americans who can’t afford air conditioning or high electricity bills, the simplest defense against heat remains out of reach.6

Despite the mounting evidence that heat is a lethal and growing threat, the U.S. government treats it as an afterthought. Unlike hurricanes or floods, heat waves aren’t classified as disasters under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), meaning cities and states don’t receive federal aid to help residents cope.2 The Stafford Act, which governs FEMA’s disaster response, does not list extreme heat as an eligible event for emergency assistance.2 This means communities struggling with deadly heat waves are left to fend for themselves, even while other climate disasters trigger immediate federal relief. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed national heat standards for workers, but enforcement remains spotty, and industry pushback has delayed progress.7 Meanwhile, heat-related risks continue to rise, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable populations.

Cities, however, are not powerless in this fight. Local governments must rethink how they prepare for and respond to extreme heat. Cooling centers should not be limited to libraries and community centers but should include shopping malls, transit stations, and public parks—places people already frequent. Cooling infrastructure should be baked into urban design, from reflective roofs and pavement to strategic tree planting, which can lower surface temperatures by up to 45°F.8 Pavements and roofs make up over 60% of urban surfaces, meaning mandates for heat-reflective materials could significantly reduce citywide temperatures.8 Miami-Dade County has pledged to expand tree canopy coverage to 30% to combat urban heat, a model that other cities should follow.8

Heat is no longer just a seasonal nuisance—it is a public health emergency that demands systemic change. We need better data collection to capture the true toll of extreme heat, stronger workplace protections for vulnerable workers, and aggressive urban planning policies that cool our cities. Without urgent action, heat-related deaths will continue to rise, claiming lives in silence. The climate crisis is already here, and the cost of inaction is measured in human lives.

Rishi Shah is a junior in Berkeley College.

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References

  1. 2024 was the world’s warmest year on record [Internet]. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2025 Jan 10; Available from: https://www.noaa.gov/news/2024-was-worlds-warmest-year-on-record
  2. Borunda A. Why isn’t extreme heat considered a disaster in the U.S.? NPR [Internet]. 2024 Jun 18; Available from: https://www.npr.org/2024/06/18/nx-s1-5003785/extreme-heat-disaster-fema-climate
  3. Vaidyanathan A, Malilay J, Schramm P, Saha S. Heat-Related Deaths — United States, 2004–2018. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [Internet]. 2020 Jun 18;69(24):729–34. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6924a1.htm
  4. Wittenberg A, Harvey C. U.S. Deaths from Heat Are Dangerously Undercounted. Scientific American [Internet]. 2024 Sep 7; Available from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-deaths-from-heat-are-dangerously-undercounted/
  5. Benz SA, Burney JA. Widespread race and class disparities in surface urban heat extremes across the United States. Earth S Future [Internet]. 2021 Jul 1;9(7). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021ef002016
  6. Yang J, Mufson C. American households struggle with sky-high energy bills during extreme summer heat. PBS News [Internet]. 2024 Sep 4; Available from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/american-households-struggle-with-sky-high-energy-bills-during-extreme-summer-heat
  7. Rosenthal J, Barrientos-Ferrer R, Petosa K. Extreme Heat Is More Dangerous for Workers Every Year. Center for American Progress [Internet]. 2024 Jun 13; Available from: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/extreme-heat-is-more-dangerous-for-workers-every-year/#:~:text=Federal%20and%20state%20governments%20should,injury%2C%20illness%2C%20and%20death.
  8. Meyersohn N. We can’t air-condition our way out of America’s heat crisis. CNN [Internet]. 2023 Jul 20; Available from: https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/20/business/cooling-extreme-heat-policy-climate/index.html

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