Extreme temperatures are putting pressure on Maricopa County’s Heat Relief Network, but organizers say there’s more communication and resources to meet the need this year.
Reverend Katie Sexton, director of the Arizona Faith Network, said their shelters have seen a 40% increase in visitors so far this year compared to this time last year, surpassing more than 10,000 people served as of Wednesday.
The Arizona Faith Network runs 14 cooling and respite centers and is one of the multiple organizations and governments that make up the Heat Relief Network.
“A lot more heat that is just not letting up, especially at night,” Sexton said.
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She said a positive change this summer has been communication and resource-sharing between the state, county and the many groups on the ground.
“It's not easier because our visits are up so much. But it feels much more organized and we feel much more resource and prepared to deal with what we're facing,” Sexton said.
Sexton said her shelters have had to make roughly a dozen calls to first responders either for heat-related illness or overdoses.
So far this year, Maricopa County’s Heat-Related Deaths Dashboard shows 14 confirmed heat-related deaths, with more than 230 additional deaths under investigation.
This time last year, the county had 13 confirmed heat-related deaths and only 106 additional deaths under investigation.
Hospital visits also increased around the Fourth of July holiday.
“Check on your friends, your family, your neighbors and if you see people outside, try to give them resources of where they can go,” Sexton said. “This is dangerous, dangerous heat that we're experiencing and every death that happens because of heat does not need to happen.”
Click here to see a full list of cooling and respite centers as well as more heat relief information.
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