The 18-month project, , supports state and local efforts to reduce the health effects of extreme heat in Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix, Ariz., Miami, Fla., and Charleston, S.C.
According to the NOAA, the work in each city is specific to local needs and includes things like heat monitoring, identifying heat-risk reduction strategies, and improving services for the most vulnerable citizens.
In Las Vegas, one of the project partners is the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, the region鈥檚 transit authority.
鈥淲ith increasing temperatures, we鈥檙e seeing increasing heat-related fatalities and hospitalizations,鈥� said Paul Gully, a senior regional planner at the agency.
In fact, in 2021, deaths in the greater Las Vegas area, according to a report by the Las Vegas-Review Journal. That July, the city hit 117 degrees, an all-time high.
鈥淲e need to be more intentional and thoughtful about ways we can address our warming climate and mitigate the impacts,鈥� Gully said.
This year, Las Vegas ranked as the , according to a study by research group Climate Central. The city鈥檚 summer average temperatures have increased 5.8 degrees since 1970.
Ranked No. 1 is Reno, Nev., where summer temperatures have jumped 10.9 degrees.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .
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