Murphy administration launches extreme heat awareness week to help the public better cope with the dangers of hot summers.

“Extreme heat resulting from climate change is a reality and is one of the deadliest climate-related hazards facing our state,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The goal of Extreme Heat Awareness Week is to help the public better understand the real dangers of extreme heat and take actions to protect themselves and their families.”

“Extreme heat is not just about the weather – it’s also about health. As temperatures rise, so do the dangers associated with extreme heat, and especially for at-risk populations, such as the elderly, those who work outdoors, and people with existing health conditions. Extreme heat can magnify existing health conditions like asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” said NJ Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown. “Understanding the dangers of heat and knowing how to protect yourself and others can save lives and help communities stay safe and resilient.”

Extreme Heat Awareness Week entails a multi-pronged public education campaign that includes both English and Spanish assets, such as social media posts related to extreme heat safety, brief documentaries chronicling New Jerseyans’ experiences with extreme heat, and social media toolkits designed for use by government agencies and municipalities to help deepen residents’ understanding of the health, environmental and societal costs of a warming planet.

Extreme Heat Explained

Extreme heat conditions result from weather patterns that are unusually hotter than what is typical or expected, situations that experts say can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Extreme heat also may exacerbate many existing health conditions including heart, cardiovascular and lung issues, as well as kidney disease.

The National Weather Service defines extreme heat conditions as periods of three or more consecutive days with temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. These conditions have the potential to cover a large area, exposing many people to life-threatening situations.

New Jersey is warming faster than the global average, with 2024 ranking as the second warmest year on record and 15 of the 20 hottest years on record occurring since 2000. Moreover, unprecedented warming is projected for the state with more frequent, longer-lasting heat waves by 2050.

Factors influencing New Jersey’s disproportionate warming include proximity to a warming ocean, and development patterns and density that create urban “heat islands,” areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas because structures, roads and pavements absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more readily than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies.

Extreme Heat Affects Everyone

From cities to rural areas, extreme heat has far-ranging impacts on human health, water supplies, air quality, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems, and even our built environments. It strains infrastructure by superheating pavement and buckling roads, warping train tracks, and causing power disruptions. It also increases wildfire dangers, exacerbates droughts, stresses wildlife and their habitats, increases harmful algal blooms and accelerates the spread of invasive species.

Residents of more rural areas can face heat-related vulnerabilities that are compounded by social determinants of health such as poor housing; geographic isolation; unique occupational exposures associated with outdoor professions such as farming; and/or lack of access to affordable energy, health care facilities, or transportation. Those living in more densely populated areas with less tree cover are considered especially vulnerable and more likely to experience the worst and longest-lasting impacts of a heat wave.

Vulnerable Populations Face Highest Risk

In addition to causing overall discomfort, exposure to extreme heat is especially dangerous to vulnerable populations, which include low-income people; the elderly, infants, and children; those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who work outdoors, people with pre-existing health conditions, and the unhoused.

For members of vulnerable populations, daily activities such as going outdoors to the grocery store or pharmacy, taking a walk, or even staying at home without access to an air-conditioning unit can become dangerous during extreme heat events. 

Increasing temperatures result in greater numbers of emergency department visits as the body needs to work harder to maintain normal body temperature, putting additional stress on the cardiovascular system which can in turn strain the heart and increase the risk of heart attacks, particularly in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions. Increased air pollution – particularly ground-level ozone formed by direct sunlight, heat and certain types of pollutants – exacerbates respiratory issues that can result in emergency room visits.

Research also correlates higher temperatures, particularly during extreme heat events, with several adverse mental and behavioral health outcomes, including increased suicide rates, increased hospitalization and mortality for those with diagnosed mental health conditions, increased conflict and violence, and cognitive and emotional changes.  

Steps to Staying Protected

• Know the signs of heat-related illnesses: Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke, can turn deadly quickly. If you, a co-worker or someone you know feels dizzy, thirsty, weak, nauseous, and/or experiences extreme fatigue or excessive sweating, get out of the heat and hydrate immediately. If symptoms worsen, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room. If not treated, heat stroke can quickly damage the brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles, with damage worsening the longer treatment is delayed.
• Stay hydrated: When working or being active in the heat, drink about one quart of water per hour, or one cup every 15 minutes. Drink more water than usual and drink before you get thirsty. Avoid alcohol and food or liquids that contain high amounts of sugar and/or caffeine. It is also important to eat regular meals to replace salt lost from sweating.
• Know your risk: While anyone can suffer from a heat-related illness, populations that are more vulnerable to extreme heat and susceptible to heat-related illnesses include those who are 65 or older, people who work outside, infants and children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those without air conditioning, people with chronic health conditions, people who live alone, and those who are experiencing homelessness.
• Find a cool place near you: As summer temperatures rise, New Jersey residents, particularly those without access to air conditioning at home or work, should seek out places to beat the heat. During a heat wave, visit NJ 211’s Cooling Centers webpage to find officially designated cooling centers near you. Use Chill Out NJ to search for free- or low-cost options to keep cool, such as libraries and senior centers, parks, pools, spray parks and splashpads. Also consider museums and shopping malls or even going to the movies.  
• Beware of hot vehicles: Never leave children, people with disabilities, elderly people, or pets in a parked car, even for a short time. Even on an 80-degree Fahrenheit day, the temperature inside a car can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 10 minutes.

Mitigating the Impacts of Extreme Heat 

• Plant trees and shrubs: Trees, bushes, and shrubs have a natural cooling effect, making them an effective way to reduce heat, particularly in urban settings. They lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and through evapotranspiration, the process by which they absorb water through their roots and evaporate it through their leaves. They also reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, while helping to manage stormwater runoff and protect water quality.
• Protect your community: Form or participate in neighbor-to-neighbor outreach and mutual aid initiatives to check on and support those in your community most vulnerable to excessive heat impacts. These efforts can include:
  
  
• Making phone calls or door-to-door “wellness checks” to ensure that individuals vulnerable to extreme heat have functioning air conditioners and are running it, or have a cool place to go, are properly hydrating, and have their needed medications. 
• Providing transportation to cooling centers or other cool places.
• Strategically locating “hydration stations” that provide free water during heat waves.
• Spreading the word about when and where local or county emergency management offices open cooling centers during heat emergencies.
• Participate in local climate resilience planning: While climate change is a global challenge, the impacts are experienced locally. Join public sessions led by local and regional government officials making decisions about zoning, redevelopment, housing, open space, and other investment decisions to ensure that community investments made today are designed to withstand the conditions of tomorrow.

Murphy Administration Extreme Heat Actions

“The Murphy Administration is committed to making the state more resilient to many impacts of climate change,” said Chief Resilience Officer Nick Angarone. “The State has responded by developing agency-led engagement efforts, policies, and programs to address these challenges because extreme heat poses immediate and long-term health risks, compromises our infrastructure systems, and strains food and water supplies.”

In accordance with the statewide policy directive laid out in Executive Order 89, New Jersey developed the Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan. Only the third of its kind in the country, the plan identifies actions by state agency members of the New Jersey Interagency Council on Climate Resilience to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.

Important Resources

• Developed in tandem with the Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan, Heat Hub NJ is a valuable tool that provides the public with information on extreme heat’s impact on daily life and the environment, its adverse effects on human health and well-being, and ways to protect those particularly vulnerable to its effects.
• Heat Hub NJ also has focused tabs on identifying and dealing with extreme heat emergencies and locating cooling assistance resources. Chill Out NJ, available through Heat Hub NJ, is an interactive mapping feature that helps the public find public places to escape the heat, such as libraries and senior centers, parks, and splash pads.

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