PHOENIX — Phoenix is expecting unseasonably warm temperatures this week when it could get as high as 100º in the Valley, and many of the city's and nonprofits' heat preparedness resources haven't yet started up for the year.
If Phoenix reaches 100º Tuesday, it'll be the earliest in the year that it will have hit the milestone in the city's history.
"The Arizona sun is unrelenting," said Phoenix City Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira, who represents District 7. "And we must be unrelenting in our approach and our response to making sure that we're saving lives, providing cooling centers and a respite center."
Programs to help with heat emergencies and relief in the city generally run from May to September. Nonprofits generally work around the same timeline. Right now, both entities are preparing for the ramp-up into extreme heat.
"It's a year-round thing for us that we just kind of like bump up during April and October," Red Cross public information officer Georgi Donchetz said.
On Tuesday, the City of Phoenix will introduce its heat preparedness plan for 2025.
"I gotta tell you, heat preparedness is taken seriously at the City of Phoenix, so it's been looked at all year round," said Galindo-Elvira. "We just don't - it's not seasonal for planning, it's all year round."
Notable changes this year, according to a draft plan, are an extension of cooling center hours to 10 p.m. and adding weekend hours. Phoenix is also partnering with the Red Cross to directly reach mobile home communities, which can be more vulnerable to heat.
Phoenix says it's seen progress between this year and last, with a 20% reduction in the number of 9-1-1 calls for heat emergencies. The city credits that change to the dedicated respite center at the Burton Barr Central Library. This year, the respite center is moving to a new location at 20 West Jackson St.
For more immediate emergencies that might come up Tuesday, Phoenix Fire says it is prepared to step in.
"What might happen is your body is going to get warm, it's going to get hot, it's going to progress into heat exhaustion and then heat stroke," said Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller.
If you or someone else thinks you might be experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke, an easy way to check is through the Red Cross First Aid app, which walks users through a step-by-step guide to identifying and addressing heat crises.
