It's Getting Hot in Here
Digest
This episode of On the Media's Midweek podcast delves into the often overlooked dangers of extreme heat, a climate disaster that is increasingly impacting communities worldwide. The episode features an interview with Jake Biddle, a staff writer at Grist, who highlights the challenges of visually depicting heat's devastation and the media's tendency to underreport its severity. Biddle points out that heat is the deadliest climate disaster, yet its impacts are often hidden from public view, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like the unhoused and outdoor workers. The episode also explores the lack of government recognition of heat as a disaster, with FEMA failing to declare heat waves as disasters despite their devastating consequences. Biddle argues that this lack of recognition stems from the fact that heat primarily affects human bodies and labor output, rather than causing significant property damage, which is the primary focus of disaster relief efforts. The episode concludes with a discussion of strategies for improving public communication and preparedness for heat waves, including the potential benefits of naming heat waves like hurricanes to increase public awareness and understanding of their severity.
Outlines
Introduction
This Chapter introduces the topic of extreme heat and its increasing impact on communities worldwide. It highlights the challenges of visually depicting heat's devastation and the media's tendency to underreport its severity.
The Invisibility of Heat
This Chapter explores the reasons why extreme heat is often overlooked as a climate disaster. It discusses the challenges of visually depicting heat's devastation and the media's tendency to underreport its severity. It also highlights the disproportionate impact of heat on vulnerable populations, such as the unhoused and outdoor workers.
Government Response to Heat Disasters
This Chapter examines the lack of government recognition of heat as a disaster. It discusses the limitations of FEMA's disaster declaration process and how heat, unlike other natural disasters, does not qualify for federal assistance due to its primary impact on human bodies and labor output rather than property damage.
Improving Heat Preparedness
This Chapter explores strategies for improving public communication and preparedness for heat waves. It discusses the importance of developing heat plans, increasing access to cooling centers, and addressing the problem of social isolation, which can exacerbate the impact of heat on vulnerable individuals.
Keywords
Extreme Heat
Extreme heat refers to unusually high temperatures that can pose significant risks to human health, infrastructure, and the environment. It is a growing concern due to climate change and is characterized by prolonged periods of high temperatures, often exceeding historical averages for a particular region.
Climate Disaster
A climate disaster is an event or series of events caused or exacerbated by climate change that results in significant damage, loss of life, or disruption to human societies and ecosystems. Examples include heat waves, droughts, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes.
FEMA
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a U.S. government agency responsible for coordinating disaster relief efforts and providing assistance to individuals, communities, and states affected by natural disasters. FEMA's role includes providing financial aid, temporary housing, and other resources to support disaster recovery.
Stafford Act
The Stafford Act, formally known as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, is a federal law that authorizes the President to declare a major disaster or emergency and provides funding for disaster relief efforts. The act outlines the criteria for disaster declarations and the types of assistance that can be provided.
Heat Wave
A heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather, typically lasting several days or weeks, with temperatures significantly above average for a particular region. Heat waves can pose serious health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, and can lead to heat stroke, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses.
Hurricane
A hurricane is a powerful tropical cyclone characterized by strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges. Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters and can cause widespread damage and flooding, particularly in coastal areas.
Social Cohesion
Social cohesion refers to the degree to which individuals in a society feel connected to each other and to their community. It is characterized by strong social bonds, shared values, and a sense of belonging. Social cohesion is important for promoting well-being, reducing crime, and fostering community resilience.
Cooling Center
A cooling center is a designated public space, such as a library, community center, or school, that is made available to the public during periods of extreme heat. Cooling centers provide a safe and comfortable environment for people to escape the heat and stay hydrated.
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the body's temperature rises to dangerously high levels. It is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, dizziness, headache, rapid heartbeat, and loss of consciousness.
Q&A
Why is extreme heat often overlooked as a climate disaster?
Extreme heat is often overlooked as a climate disaster because it is difficult to visually depict its devastation and its impacts are often hidden from public view. Additionally, heat primarily affects human bodies and labor output, rather than causing significant property damage, which is the primary focus of disaster relief efforts.
How does the lack of government recognition of heat as a disaster impact public awareness and response?
The lack of government recognition of heat as a disaster contributes to a lack of public awareness and preparedness. Without official disaster declarations, there is less media coverage, fewer resources allocated for heat mitigation, and a diminished sense of urgency among the public.
What are some strategies for improving public communication and preparedness for heat waves?
Strategies for improving public communication and preparedness for heat waves include developing heat plans, increasing access to cooling centers, addressing the problem of social isolation, and promoting community outreach programs to check on vulnerable individuals.
What is the potential benefit of naming heat waves like hurricanes?
Naming heat waves like hurricanes can increase public awareness and understanding of their severity. By giving them a name, heat waves become more tangible and memorable, fostering a sense of urgency and prompting people to take precautions.
How does the lack of a disaster declaration for heat waves impact the allocation of resources?
The lack of a disaster declaration for heat waves means that communities often lack the resources to adequately prepare for and respond to these events. Without federal assistance, local governments are left to rely on their own limited resources, which can be insufficient to address the needs of vulnerable populations.
What are some of the challenges in addressing the problem of social isolation during heat waves?
Addressing the problem of social isolation during heat waves is challenging because it requires a shift in cultural norms and a greater emphasis on community engagement. It involves encouraging people to check on their neighbors, promoting social connections, and creating opportunities for community interaction.
How can the media play a more effective role in reporting on extreme heat?
The media can play a more effective role in reporting on extreme heat by providing accurate and timely information about heat waves, highlighting the health risks associated with extreme temperatures, and emphasizing the importance of taking precautions. They can also focus on the disproportionate impact of heat on vulnerable populations and advocate for increased government action to address this issue.
What are some of the long-term implications of failing to adequately address the threat of extreme heat?
Failing to adequately address the threat of extreme heat has significant long-term implications, including increased mortality rates, strain on healthcare systems, economic disruptions, and social unrest. It also exacerbates existing inequalities and disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations.
Show Notes
Across the globe, summers are getting unseasonably, and scarily hot, and last year the United Nations announcing that we've entered the era of "global boiling." And yet it's hard to grapple with the damage caused by extreme heat. It's the deadliest kind of climate disaster, but victims of heat often die out of sight of the public eye. FEMA doesn't even respond to extreme heat waves in the way it does to other "major disasters." Jake Bittle is a staff writer at Grist covering climate impact. Brooke spoke to Bittle last year about the invisibility of extreme heat, the challenge it presents to news outlets, and the potential value of naming heat waves.
This is a segment from our August 18, 2023 show, Read All About It.
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