Phoenix Fire Department Utilizes Ice in Heat-Related Emergencies

Why it matters locally: Florida, with its subtropical climate and frequent heat advisories, could see local emergency services like Miami-Dade Fire Rescue or Flagler County Fire Rescue consider similar low-tech, high-impact strategies for managing heat-related emergencies among its 22 million residents.

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Phoenix, Arizona, faces significant challenges from extreme heat, a factor the U.S. government identifies as a primary weather-related threat. Each year, heat causes more fatalities in Phoenix than homicides. In response, the Phoenix Fire Department has implemented a new strategy to combat heatstroke. Firefighters now use bags of ice as a primary tool in emergency responses to heat-related incidents. This low-technology method aims to rapidly reduce body temperatures in individuals suffering from heatstroke. Climate Central correspondent Ben Tracy reported on how this approach assists in emergency care.