Managing Extreme Heat in Local Government: Phoenix's Office of Heat Response and Mitigation

Extreme heat poses challenges to public health, quality of life, and economic vitality to cities across the globe. Local governments are increasingly taking an active role in managing heat as a hazard, as evident in improvements to critical planning processes and through the appointment of newly-focused personnel. The City of Phoenix has been a national leader in recent efforts to improve heat governance, most notably by creating the first publicly-funded Office of Heat Response and Mitigation in the United States in 2021. The Office is charged with helping coordinate and improve the City's programs to protect public health during hot weather (response) and cool the city and improve quality of life over the long term (mitigation).

This presentation will share highlights and lessons learned from the Office's first year and goals for the future, with a particular focus on public communication and engagement with the weather forecasting community. The presentation is intended to catalyze deeper collaboration between local governments tackling heat challenges and the broadcast meteorology enterprise.