A new information system to map EMS calls to heat-related sickness across the nation was unveiled by the White House on Wednesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly operate the online dashboard.
EMS HeatTracker’s Public Health Benefit
The method, according to the organizations, will benefit public health professionals in ensuring that outreach and medical assistance reach those who require it most during heat emergencies.
No longer a quiet killer, heat. Communities are fighting to keep residents cool, safe, and alive due to the escalating effects of the climate crisis from coast to coast, according to a statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s effective tool, the EMS HeatTracker, provides actionable data to prioritize outreach and interventions, preventing illnesses and deaths brought on by the heat and fostering resilience across the country.
The launch coincides with rising summer temperatures in the US. According to climate predictions, high heat events will become more common and intense over the next few decades.
To help decision-makers identify the groups most at risk for heat-related illnesses, the dashboard shows heat-related EMS activations at the state and county levels together with patient data segmented by age, race, gender, and urbanity.
Read more: US Voters Lean Toward ‘Concern’ Over ‘Excitement’ For AI Development
Heat-Related Deaths Undercounted in Tracker
The tracker, according to the agencies, also offers data at the national level on the quantity of heat-related EMS activations and the quantity of heat-related fatalities among patients who were still alive when emergency personnel arrived on the scene.
The tracker undercounts the number of heat-related deaths in the US because it excludes data on patient fatalities that happened before EMS arrived on the scene or fatalities without an EMS response.
The information will be updated once a week and lag real time by around two weeks. Emergency departments have been a source of data for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2018 regarding illnesses brought on by the heat on a national scale.
Read more: Last SNAP Payments Up To $1,691, Coming In One Day For Oklahoma