More Than 300 Suspected Heat-Related Deaths in Arizona County as Temperatures Soar

Maricopa County officials are investigating hundreds of deaths they suspect are related to record high temperatures, many among the homeless population.

People try to cool down with chilled water outside the Justa Center, a day center for homeless people 55 years and older, in downtown Phoenix on July 14, 2023. Matt York/AP Photo

More than 300 deaths could be linked to the scorching temperatures in Maricopa County, Arizona, according to official data.

Maricopa County, which includes the city of Phoenix, operates a heat report dashboard showing that 322 deaths that have occurred over the summer are under investigation as possibly being heat-related. Maricopa is the fourth most populous county in the United States, with more than 4.6 million people.

Nearly 100 of the suspected heat deaths occurred from July 7 to July 13, the same week that temperatures reached 118 degrees. This follows the hottest June on record in Phoenix, with an average temperature of 97 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

The heat dashboard shows 23 confirmed heat-related deaths this year. Of those, 17 were directly caused by heat and six were heat-contributed.

Phoenix’s temperatures are expected to reach up to 118 degrees on July 19, prompting an excessive heat warning through the evening of July 20 across south-central and southwest Arizona. The warning extends to southeast California on July 21.

Sonia Singh, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Department of Health, told The Epoch Times that substance use is a big risk factor in heat-related illness and death.

Drugs played a role in more than half of the heat-related deaths this year, while alcohol contributed to 13 percent. Nearly 40 percent of those who died were homeless, and seven out of 10 deaths were men, according to the data.

The age groups with the highest percentage of deaths were 50 to 64 years and 75 years and older, both at 26 percent. The lowest percentage of deaths was among 65- to 74-year-olds, with 9 percent. Nearly 40 percent of the deaths occurred in those between 20 and 49 years old.

Ms. Singh said it is important to know that any person, regardless of age or health status, is at risk for heat-related illness.

“It’s definitely not that you just get used to it over time situation,” Ms. Singh said. “It doesn’t matter your age, your general health status, how long you’ve lived in Arizona, anybody can be at risk for heat illness and death.”

The county has partnered with Solari 211, a local nonprofit organization that helps community members locate cooling and hydration stations. The organization also assists with transporting water to these sites.

Last year, the county assessed the community services available to those at risk and found that the relief sites needed to be made pet-friendly.

“A lot of the heat relief sites are pet friendly, so people can bring their pets with them,” Ms. Singh said, noting the change made to help encourage pet owners to access the cooling centers.

New Approach to Heat Emergencies

In June, the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) announced its new approach to treating people with heat-related illnesses.

The department has added cold water immersion bags to quickly cool individuals whose body temperatures surpass 104 degrees F. All of the PFD’s emergency response vehicles have been equipped with the new specialized ice bags.

Fire Capt. Rob McDade said PFD worked with local emergency departments and the department’s medical director to find solutions for treating heat illnesses.

“This is a collaborative effort,” Mr. McDade said. “We’ve worked with local ERs, local doctors, our own medical director, our EMS department—we looked at how can we help those that we serve having critical heat emergencies?”

When the initiative was launched in May, first responders used about one bag a week. That number increased to “roughly three times a day” by the end of June.

The department says the program is saving lives as the temperature continues to reach record highs.

“We’ve already seen people who were extremely hot this year, who last year they might not have made it—and because of these efforts this year, they’re leaving the hospital with no deficits,”​ said Battalion Chief Austin Moreland, who helped deploy the program and train first responders.

Some of the signs of heat-related illness include a body temperature above 103 degrees F, a fast pulse, headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and muscle cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you or someone you know needs help from the heat in Maricopa County, please call 2-1-1 for assistance.