Hot Houses Are Dangerous. Fourth of July Activities Will Make Things Worse

Like New York City braces for high temperature between July 4th week and World Cup celebrations, government officials and local hospitals are working to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) by Thursday, with a heat index between 105 and 110 degrees—unbelievably hot for New York. Friday is expected to be very hot.

“This is very serious, and it will affect every part of our city,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Most major cities have emergency plans that include setting up emergency shelters, providing support to vulnerable people, and sending emergency notifications. As heat waves become more frequent and common as the world warms, more cities are writing and implementing these plans to keep people safe.

This year, New York City activated its emergency plan on May 19 — the earliest it’s ever done — because of a severe spring heat wave that sent temperatures over 90 degrees in the Northeast. It turned the system on again in preparation for this new temperature.

As part of that emergency plan, the city will have more than 650 cool place Christina Farrell, Commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management Department, said. It is reported that extreme heat warnings are increasing in New York.

Mamdani’s management is sending refrigerated trucks across the region to provide health checks, medical care, water, electrolytes, sunscreen, and transportation to coolers or hospitals. LinkNYC kiosks, which are replacing old pay phones throughout the city, have been redesigned to show directions to the nearest cooler, another new initiative run by Mamdani.

To help the community meet the demand for home cooling, business owners are being asked to set their thermostats to 78 degrees, which the Department of Energy recommends during the hot summer months.

Employees of the city’s Department of Human Services will be assisting the homeless. People who need small houses will no longer need to follow the steps of eating in the shelters under the heating system.

Philadelphia is also bracing for extreme heat. The city, which is hosting the World Cup on July 4, has activated its heat emergency plan and moved the hours of the FIFA Fan Festival to the evening. The city will have coolers and tents, free water fountains, shaded areas, and several medical centers for fans. However, the match between Paraguay and France will kick off at 5pm ET, with the forecast still calling for well over 100 degrees with heat and humidity.

The risk of heat-related death and disease is expected to increase as extreme temperatures become more frequent and severe. A recent research from the University of Yale found that deaths associated with extreme heat have almost doubled in the US over the past twenty years, from an annual average of 2,670 between 2000 and 2009, to more than 4,000 between 2010 and 2020. Most heat-related deaths occur indoors after prolonged exposure to heat without ventilation.

Emergency departments in New York say they are preparing to deal with an influx of patients with severe heat illness in the coming days.

Erik Blutinger, an emergency medicine physician at Mount Sinai Queens, says the hospital is stocking up on towels, fans, and other supplies to ensure heatstroke patients can receive adequate treatment. He said it is important for people to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses so that they can get help as soon as possible.