Some cells inside Arizona’s state prisons are recording temperatures at around 95 degrees this summer as there are units that do not have any air conditioning.
ABC15 has reported on how the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry is working on an HVAC conversion plan by adding AC to units that rely only on swamp coolers.
That plan is expected to be a multi-year process because of the expense, resources, and supply chain, according to prison leaders.
The ABC15 Investigators sat down with ADCRR director Ryan Thornell to ask if he is comfortable with that timeline, and what it would take to expedite the process.
“It's the timeline that gets set for us,” said Thornell. “My comfort level is really not what drives that.”
Watch the full interview with Thornell in the player below:
Thornell said it’s about resources that are available, “and it's really about the reality of the projects and how long they take and how you systemically do that across a state large institution and do it complex by complex.”
Some of the challenges include getting more funding, resources like finding contractors, and supply chains.
Inside the Santa Cruz unit at Perryville Women’s Prison, some temperatures are registering around 95 degrees, according to Thornell.
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Prison leaders are working to rapidly convert the Santa Cruz unit to air conditioning.
ABC15 Investigator Nicole Grigg asked what is the goal to get AC inside the Santa Cruz unit, “as fast as possible and my hope would be well before the original December timeline, and we're on track really for that.”
There have been seven inmates in ADCRR custody who were transferred for treatment because of heat-related illness in June, and we are told two people have needed medical attention so far in July.
Thornell said there have been no deaths because of heat-related illness.
The ABC15 Investigators have received emails from people across the state sharing their concerns inside more than just Perryville Women’s Prison. When asked if there is a way to expedite the conversion plan, Thornell said, “we have the logical plan of how these conversions happen and we also look at our internal resources.”
While some areas are not ready to be converted to HVAC, prison officials are also working on how to make areas with evaporative cooling more efficient by doing things like ductwork that may help.
Investigator Nicole Grigg also asked if lawmakers were to make more funding a priority, if it would be possible to move up the timeline.
“I think we would do everything that is possible in order to help with that,” said Thornell, “I think some of it would come down to what contractor resources are available to do this kind of work, what sort of supply timelines and things are available.”
Thornell added that it can six months to a year to build a unit from a supplier for the size they need.
