Published on July 18, 2022
Last summer, two heat waves blanketed the usually temperate Pacific Northwest. The first one, which saw at least 30 heat-related deaths and many more injuries, would become the deadliest climate-related event in King County’s recorded history. In the wake of the heat waves, residents and government officials are acknowledging how unprepared we are for extreme heat.
“There are a lot more people in leadership positions aware of the risks, and there are a lot more people in leadership positions committing to action,” says Dr. Tania Busch-Isaksen, professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, who has been at the vanguard of research into the health impacts of extreme heat and how public health is adapting to climate change.
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Originally written by Hannah Weinberger for Crosscut.