Pennsylvania is getting hotter. The EPHT Program, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program, is working to reduce heat stress. We monitor environmental health and climate data, including the prevalence of heat-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits, to reduce heat-related injuries and illnesses. Heat stress can impact anyone, but certain populations such as workers and the elderly may be at greater risk of heat-related injury and illness.
Data source: National Weather Service (NWS) heat advisories, excessive heat watches, and excessive heat warnings as compiled by the
Iowa Environmental Mesonet at Iowa State University. In most parts of Pennsylvania, the NWS issues a heat advisory when the heat index is forecasted to be at least 100°F degrees and an excessive heat watch or warning when the heat index is forecasted to be at least 105°F degrees. The NWS issues heat alerts using forecast zones which often, but not always, align with county boundaries.
The following resources have been created:
This resource details individual, community, and structural level actions to learn about and advocate for better environmental health. To date, we cover nine environmental health topics.
The EPHT Program creates resources to celebrate environmental health awareness days, weeks, and months.