Heat wave safety tips from the world's first chief heat officer
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Wyatt Seymore pours the last drops of liquid from a water bottle into his mouth on June 17 as he takes a break from unloading a stiflingly hot trailer of fireworks outside Powder Monkey Fireworks ahead of the opening of the stand in Weldon Spring, Mo.Jeff Roberson / AP -
Jane Gilbert is the chief heat officer for southeastern Florida's Miami-Dade County, a position that the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center says is the first of its kind in the world.Courtesy Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience. -
Miami-Dade County Chief Heat Officer Jane Gilbert participates in a local tree planting project.Courtesy Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience.
The East Coast, Midwest and other parts of the country are baking this week due to a major heat wave that's pushing temperatures to near triple-digit temps several major cities.
Temps in Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, Nashville are all expected to peak near 100 degrees this weekend.
While Miami is not among those impacted by the current heat dome, its tropical monsoon climate leads to intensely hot and humid summers. In order to tackle some of the challenges the heat can pose, Miami-Dade County appointed a chief heat officer three years ago.
Jane Gilbert is considered the world's first ever chief heat officer, as part of a partnership with the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation launched in 2021. We asked her how people in cities around the country can deal with the ongoing heat wave and how she's trying to cool Miami.
Why the risk of extreme heat has grown in cities
"We're getting hotter in cities not only because of climate change, but how we develop more asphalt, less green space, less trees, more waste heat from buildings and cars," Gilbert told NPR's Michel Martin.
"All of this contributes to our urban environments being up to 10 degrees hotter than the surrounding rural areas."
She pointed to the "very exposed" unhoused population and large numbers of construction workers as other challenges.
"We have people walking and waiting at bus stops. All of these are places where people are more exposed to heat and unfortunately with less tree canopy, particularly in our lower income areas," Gilbert added.
Taming a 'silent killer'
As part of her role, Gilbert seeks to better inform and prepare residents, help them stay cool at home affordably and cool down neighborhoods through environmental initiatives, and the use of greener building materials.
These efforts include tree planting and preservation, as well as urban design that incorporates cool pavements and building materials to reduce so-called "heat islands" in major urban zones. The Miami metropolitan area — which includes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties — is among the top 10 largest in the United States.
In the three years she's been on the job, Gilbert said she's noticed growing public awareness about the dangers of extreme heat — a "silent killer," as she calls it — that can cause not just heat exhaustion or heat stroke but also cardiac arrest and heart attacks triggered by heat, strokes, pediatric asthma or birth complications.
"Heat stroke is just the tip of the iceberg of heat impacts on heat learning outcomes," she said.
How can people stay safe in the heat?
There are steps people can take individually to mitigate the effects of the heat, such as making sure to have access to water and "hydrate more than they think they need" every hour.
If someone is experiencing symptoms of dehydration — like feeling lightheaded or tired with a dry mouth, lips and tongue — Gilbert recommends cooling their body down as quickly as possible. For example, they could be placed in a room with chillier temperatures or have a fan placed near them with water evaporating through it. They should also get water as quickly as possible.
But if they are nauseous or unconscious, Gilbert warns they can't be given drinks and recommends calling emergency services.
For those participating in sports or otherwise exerting a lot of energy, Gilbert recommends taking breaks in the shade or another cool spot. They should also replenish every third or fourth drink with electrolytes.
"It's kind of like [high-intensity training]," she said. "You take a break and then you get back out there. Your performance is going to be better."
The broadcast version of this story was produced by Lilly Quiroz. The digital version was edited by Obed Manuel.
Transcript
MICHEL MARTIN, BYLINE: The East Coast and the Midwest are baking due to a major heat wave this week. In Florida, Miami-Dade County has appointed a chief heat officer to tackle some of the challenges posed by heat and humidity in that area. Her name is Jane Gilbert, and she's with us now to tell us how she's helping residents this week and planning for the rest of the summer. Hello.
JANE GILBERT: Hi, Michel.
MARTIN: You know, Miami - the Miami metropolitan area is among the top 10 largest in the United States. Are there some unique challenges to kind of managing heat in an urban setting in general and in Miami, in particular - at least, you know, compared to parts of the country that aren't as dense?
GILBERT: I think some of the thing is that we're getting hotter in cities not only because of climate change, but how we develop - more asphalt, less green space, less trees, more waste heat from buildings and cars. All of this contributes to our urban environments being up to 10 degrees hotter than the surrounding rural areas.
In addition, many cities have many people who are unhoused that need to have specific outreach. I know Phoenix has had significant challenges. Luckily, in Miami-Dade, our numbers are lower, but it's still a very exposed population. Then finally, we have a huge number of construction workers. We have people walking and waiting at bus stops. All of these are places where people are more exposed to heat and, unfortunately, with less tree canopy in particularly our lower-income areas.
MARTIN: What are some of the things you can do as the chief heat officer?
GILBERT: Sure. So we have a plan that has three main goal areas. One is to inform and prepare people. The second is to help people stay cool at home affordably. The third is to cool neighborhoods through intense tree planting and preservation efforts, through new urban design to look at cool pavements, cool building materials, and how we orient and design our buildings so that our urban environment is lower temperature.
MARTIN: I understand that the foundation that helps support the work believes that, although there are others like it now, this was the first position like this in the world. You've been in this position for three years. In the three years that you've been in this position, has it gotten more serious?
GILBERT: Well, first, last summer was the hottest summer on record. We had 50 days over heat index of 105. That was unprecedented. Second, I think the general public awareness about the dangers of extreme heat in this country and really globally has risen dramatically, in part because of rising temperatures, in part because there's been a concerted effort to really point out this silent killer. And it's not just heat exhaustion and heat stroke we're worrying about. It is heart attacks triggered by heat. It is a stroke. It is pediatric asthma. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke is just the tip of the iceberg of impacts.
MARTIN: Let's talk about the right now and trust that you're working on the future. For right now, it's hot. And it's not just hot in Miami, although I understand that it's actually cooler in Miami, oddly, than it is in other parts of the country. What should people do if they have to be outdoors?
GILBERT: They have to be outdoors, they need to make sure that they have water with them, that they hydrate more than they think they need to. Every hour, drink as much water as you can. If you're exerting a lot of energy, replenish every third or fourth drink with electrolytes. Water is often not enough if you're exerting a lot of energy. Then take breaks. It's kind of like HIIT training. You take a break and then you get back out there, your performance is going to be better.
MARTIN: If you notice someone experiencing symptoms of dehydration, what should you do?
GILBERT: First, if they're not nauseous and they are conscious, you should get them water as soon as possible and get them to a cool space. Cool their body down with putting water on so it can evaporate, a fan - any way to cool the body down. If they feel nauseous or are unconscious, do not give them drinks. I would call 911 and get that body cool as soon as you can.
MARTIN: That is Jane Gilbert. She's chief heat officer of Miami-Dade County. Jane Gilbert, something tells me we'll be talking again. So thank you so much for talking with us today.
GILBERT: My pleasure. Stay cool. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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