This session segment will address what key community stakeholders do in response to issuance of a NWS excessive heat watch, warning or advisory. These key stakeholders include the media, the emergency management and health communities, and senior citizen facilities. Activities include the press airing the heat message and precautions to take, the emergency management and health communities spreading the message throughout their jurisdictions particularly to their most vulnerable populations, and those samet vulnerable population communities such as senior citizens, responding appropriately to the heat message to help protect lives.
NWS Seattle spun up the new HHWS program in 2005. Yet, the first hurdle was convincing the community as a whole that heat was a serious health issue in the Seattle area. Since heat is not a hazard one can see like a tornado, flood or winter storm, people did not view heat as a threat to life, particularly in such a moderate climate in the Pacific Northwest. Yet, study results showed heat as the number one weather-related killer in the Seattle area, mirroring such statistics nationwide. Initially, even many in the health and emergency management community did not immediately see heat as a serious health threat.
This ‘heat is a serious health issue' in the Seattle area continues to be a challenge. Yet, hot weather episodes in the summers of 2005 and 2006 helped reinforce the need for heat awareness and preparedness.
These same stakeholders are also involved in an ongoing community education effort throughout the year. This process is challenged, given the frequent turnover in the community as a whole by people who do not view heat as a serious issue in the region.
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