PHOENIX — Another day, another broken heat record in the Valley!
“I don’t have to have electricity, I can cook on the ground,” said Destiny Simon. She says it’s about time for the heat to go away, “I’m over it."
People across the Valley, like Simon, are sick of the heat.
Sebastian Urrea says the heat is unbearable.
Dr. Pope Moseley is a professor and researcher at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions.
He says heat is a huge natural disaster and these temperatures are due to the effects of urbanization.
“What’s really impressive over the last 20 years is that it doesn’t cool off. So, our high minimums or high lows have gotten much, much hotter,” explained Dr. Moseley.
Which is why he says there’s no surprise we’re in a heat event.
“A period of time where the temperatures are outside the normal,” Moseley told ABC15.
As a physician, he knows most people who go to the hospital during heat events don’t come in directly because of heat illness, such as heat stroke.
“That’s only about 10% or so of the real impact of heat on health. Most of the people who become ill become ill from their chronic conditions. So, heart attack, bloodstream infections, kidney disease, respiratory diseases, dementia, all increase. Suicide goes up 1-2%. Violent crime goes up,” Dr. Moseley added.
Simply put, heat is a real force multiplier of the illnesses and chronic conditions we have.
“It’s a real killer and it strikes young and old,” said Dr. Moseley.
Through his research, Dr. Moseley says the longer it stays hot will matter more than simply how hot the temperature is on a given day.
“I would not underestimate heat,” Dr. Moseley told ABC15.
Going forward, he wants to create an app where you'd input your health data to show your unique heat risk.
