Heat Relief Maps Help People in Need

Water Donations for Maricopa County are Down at Critical Time

PHOENIX - As the temperature continues to rise this week, many low-income or homeless people find themselves dehydrated or worse. The summer heat in Arizona can be deadly.  According to the National Weather Service, the Phoenix area averages 110 days of temperatures above 100 degrees. Temperatures are expected to hit 115 degrees later this week. To address the dangers of the heat, the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) has partnered with municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and the faith-based community to provide heat refuge and water hydration stations across the region. At the same time, the organization is calling for businesses and residents to step up with water bottle donations.

“It is critical that people protect themselves from the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” says Shana Ellis, vice mayor of Tempe and chair of the MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness. “Vulnerable populations like older adults, children, people who are experiencing homelessness, and those who work outdoors need to take extra precautions. The community needs donations of bottled water to sustain the heat relief efforts, but unfortunately, water collection is down compared to previous years.”

Vice Mayor Ellis says that there is an even greater need this year for public donations because there are more homeless on the streets, especially families. A recent count conducted by MAG found that the number of people living on the street increased 20 percent from 2008 to 2009, and the number of families on the streets has increased by more than 300 percent.

The MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness has developed two maps of resources available for both those in need and for those who want to help. The collection and donation map indicates locations of water collection and donation sites across the region. The water hydration station and heat refuge map shows the locations people can go to seek water hydration refuge from the heat. The maps are also available on the MAG Web site at www.mag.maricopa.gov/. In addition, the maps are being distributed throughout the community.

“We will never forget the summer of 2005 when a tragic number of homeless people died due to heat-related illnesses,” says Ellis. “Since then, the number of heat-related homeless deaths has decreased, thanks to regional heat relief coordination. These efforts have increased awareness about the dangers of heat-related illnesses and have established critical resources for those who desperately need them. With the community’s continued help, we hope to prevent any further loss of life.”

Taking precautions and accessing the heat relief resources in the community is the best way to prevent heat-related illness and deaths from occurring. Additional information on protecting yourself from the dangers of Arizona’s heat can be found at the following Web site: http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/pdf/heat_brochure.pdf.  For additional information on regional heat relief efforts, please contact Brande Mead, MAG Human Services Planner, at bmead@mag.maricopa.gov.

Published on behalf of Maricopa Association of Governments 
The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) is a Council of Governments (COG) that serves as the regional agency for the metropolitan Phoenix area. MAG is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional planning in the Maricopa region.

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