HHS launches online dashboard to track heat-related illnesses

Key takeaways:

• The tracker will map EMS activations for heat-related injuries and illnesses across the U.S.
• Data can be used to help prioritize heat-mitigation interventions for populations most at risk.

HHS, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, announced the launch of “a first-of-its kind” online portal that will track emergency medical responses related to heat nationally.

The Heat-Related Illness EMS Activation Surveillance Dashboard, or “EMS HeatTracker,” will allow officials to ensure that aid reaches those most at risk, according to a press release.

“Heat is the most lethal of all types of extreme weather and heat exposure is worsening with increasing global warming,” John Balbus, MD, MPH, acting director of the HHS’ Office of Climate and Health Equity, said in the release. “But existing data on heat-related deaths don’t shed light on where people actually fall ill. This new dashboard makes it possible to see where the needs are greatest, plan for the future, and save lives.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there has been a significant increase in heat waves among major U.S. cities over the last half-century, rising from an average of two heat waves per year in the 1960s to six per year during the 2010s and 2020s. Previous research has shown that extreme heat days were associated with an additional 1,373 deaths per year in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017.

The EMS HeatTracker will monitor emergency medical services (EMS) activations resulting from 911 calls for heat-related injuries and illness, highlighting state- and county-levels that have the highest amount of health-related EMS activations.

The tracker will also compare county- and jurisdiction-level data with national data in three categories over prior 30- and 14-day periods, which include:

• the population rate of heat-related EMS activations within a community;
• the average EMS time in transit to reach a patient; and
• the percentage of patients transported to a medical facility for further treatment.

Data can then be used to aid state, local and regional governments in determining where to prioritize heat-mitigation strategies, as well as interventions like cooling centers and outreach to at-risk populations, during times of extreme heat.

The EMS HeatTracker will additionally categorize patient characteristics by age, race and ethnicity, sex and urbanicity to shed light on which populations are the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, HHS said.

“Extreme heat linked to climate change threatens our health and well-being, but it does not impact everyone equally,” HHS Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine, MD, said in the release. “These threats are faced most acutely by communities of color, our youngest and oldest community members, and low-income households across the country.”

Ultimately, the data “will help us prioritize heat mitigation strategies, outreach initiatives, and funding for energy assistance to alleviate heat stress and prevent illness in communities at greatest risk,” Levine said.

The EMS HeatTracker can be viewed here.

References:

• Biden-Harris administration launches national dashboard to track heat-related illness. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/08/09/biden-harris-administration-launches-national-dashboard-track-heat-related-illness.html. Published Aug. 9, 2023. Accessed Aug. 10, 2023.
• Climate change indicators: Heat waves. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-waves. Accessed Aug. 10, 2023.