NewsHalf of Phoenix's population would require hospitalization during a heat wave and black out scenario
May 23, 2023
Half of Phoenix residents would be in need of emergency medical attention if a multi-day blackout were to coincide with a heat wave, according to a recent report.
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- The study revealed that such an event could result in a 700% increase in heat-related death rate.
- Electrical grid failures have increased 150% since 2016, and are most common during summer due to elevated electricity demand, higher temperatures, wildfires and storms.
- Human-caused climate change has increased the frequency and severity of heat waves nationally and worldwide.
- To protect against these events, researchers suggest investing in measures to reduce heat instead of focusing only on grid resiliency, such as increasing tree shading up to 50%, installing cool roofs on all buildings, and having backup plans like mass generators for providing immediate relief.
