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**Heat-related fatalities in Maricopa County, Arizona rose from 61 deaths in
2014 to 645 in 2023.** Over the same period, **the number of cooling centres
doubled, to 112.**
More centres, and ten times the deaths. So the county asked the people using
them what was wrong.
What 2,200 people said
The evaluation covered 944 cooling centre visitors and **1,260 general
public respondents** during summer 2023.
| Finding | |
|---|---|
| Street signage was thought the best way to advertise cooling centres | 56% of visitors, 69% of the general public |
| Wanted centres open until at least 7 p.m. | a majority of visitors |
| Lack of transport to the centres | the most common barrier — 31% of visitors |
Three answers that have nothing to do with building more centres
A sign in the street. The most-endorsed way to advertise a cooling centre
is not a website, an app or a media campaign. It is a physical sign where
somebody overheating is standing. That is a finding about who actually needs
these places.
Closing time. A centre that shuts at 5 p.m. shuts before the hottest part
of an Arizona afternoon has released its grip, and before anyone finishing
outdoor work can reach it.
Getting there. The single most common barrier is transport — which means
the county could double the number of centres again without helping the 31%
who cannot travel to the ones that exist.
What the county will do
**Increase street signage, expand operating hours, and reduce transport
barriers.**
All three are changes to an existing network rather than additions to it,
which is the conclusion the data actually supports.
*Source: Gettel A, Batchelor M, Bell J, et al. Notes from the Field:
Assessment of Awareness, Use, and Access Barriers to Cooling Centers in
Maricopa County, Arizona — August 1–September 15, 2023. MMWR, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.*
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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