Weather-related harms and illnesses are among the most urgent public health challenges facing communities today. Older adults, outdoor event attendees, and other vulnerable populations face heightened risks during extreme heat events. By piloting targeted interventions in these settings, this project will help identify scalable, evidence-based strategies to reduce heat-related illness and strengthen community resilience.
Our Approach
In Year 1, the project conducted pilot activities in Nevada focused on preventing heat-related illness (HRI) at large outdoor events. In partnership with Hot August Nights and the University of Nevada, Reno, the team tested practical strategies to protect attendees during periods of extreme heat.
Pilot activities include:
- Developing tailored heat safety plans
- Creating public awareness and educational materials
- Training volunteers and event staff on heat safety response
- Expanding access to cooling stations and heat relief supplies
The pilot was evaluated to identify effective interventions that can later be packaged and shared with state, local, tribal, and territorial (STLT) partners across Region 9.
Areas of Expertise
This initiative brings together expertise in:
- Heat-related illness prevention
- Public health preparedness and emergency response
- Community-based intervention design
- Large-scale event safety planning
- Public awareness and risk communication
- Evaluation and implementation science
- Climate and weather-related health resilience
Impact
This intervention aims to improve preparedness and response to weather-related harms and illnesses among vulnerable populations by:
- Increasing public awareness of heat safety practices at large gatherings
- Reducing the incidence and severity of heat-related illness during events
- Strengthening local response capacity during extreme heat conditions
- Expanding STLT partner capacity to implement and scale evidence-based interventions across Region 9