In a 2 part interview with Shelley Mann-Lev, executive director for Healthy Climate New Mexico, we discuss the extreme heat and the organization's recently released 10 recommendation for policies to assist and educate New Mexican with coping with the temperature increase.
Healthy Climate New Mexico's 10 Recommendations
1. Implement an evidence-based occupational heat standard.
2. Improve public health surveillance systems to capture and analyze heat-related morbidity and mortality data in a timely manner.
3. Treat extreme heat as a mass casualty event, coordinating response efforts and ensuring appropriate emergency waivers and patient movement authority.
4. Enhance resilience against concurrent hazards such as electric grid failure and wildfires.
5. Provide safe, accessible, and culturally appropriate cooling centers, collaborating with organizations that serve vulnerable populations.
6. Distribute cooling supplies to public entities and non-profit groups working with vulnerable groups.
7. Stop utility shut-offs during extreme heat to ensure people can run cooling devices without concern about cost.
8. Establish a statewide heat hotline for heat-safety information and guidance on managing heat symptoms.
9. Be proactive in messaging, disseminating clear, consistent, and culturally tailored information about extreme heat risks and preventive measures.
10. Implement a rural and tribal community cooling program, providing outreach and support for energy assistance programs and air conditioner distribution or loan programs.
Healthy Climate NM's vision is a healthy, equitable, sustainable future for all New Mexicans.
Healthy Climate NM's mission is to mobilize New Mexico healthcare and public health professionals to advocate for climate solutions that protect health and promote equity.
(from Healthy Climate New Mexico)
