Alistair Hayden

Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Public & Ecosystem Health

Alistair Hayden is a professor of practice in public and ecosystem health and a former division chief at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Hayden is developing an online planning tool and disaster exercises to help agencies nationwide build better plans for extreme heat. 

Hayden says:

“Early season heat can be more dangerous than expected because it takes days or weeks to adjust to the heat.

“OSHA says more than 70 percent of heat-related deaths among workers occur during a worker's first week in hot conditions and recommends many protective actions, including close monitoring, extra breaks, and the highlighting the importance of rest and hydration in staying healthy.

“An important part of protecting yourself is to stay informed about the conditions so you can take action. NOAA’s HeatRisk is a great resource to get hyper-local advice.

“At the community level, it is important to look out for neighbors who are more likely to be in harm’s way, which for heat includes older adults, people lacking cool residences, and people taking certain medicines that impact their ability to cool off.”

Danielle Eiseman

Associate Director of the Cornell Health Impacts Core

Danielle Eiseman, associate director of the Cornell Health Impacts Core, specializes in public policy on climate and health. She recently ran an exercise with emergency managers and health department officials on extreme heat planning, preparedness and communication.

Eiseman says:

“With record temperatures predicted in the next several days, there are numerous concerns for human and animal health. Given that this is unseasonable, many people have not had time to acclimate to this level of heat yet putting them at higher risk for heat related illness. People who work outside are particularly vulnerable, as it can take one to two weeks for healthy, athletic individuals to acclimate to heat. 

“What is especially concerning is when nighttime temperatures don’t cool down enough during extreme heat events. Cooler nighttime temperatures give our bodies a reprieve from the heat and allow for some recovery. In events such as the forthcoming heat dome we don’t get that break, creating dangerous conditions.

“Extreme heat places tremendous stress on the body, as it works to cool itself down, impacting critical systems and organs in our bodies. Those on certain medications or who may have chronic medical conditions can be at even greater risk for heat related illnesses.

“As we have seen with the extreme heat event in the Pacific Northwest in 2021, this type of event can have dramatic effects on people’s health and lives. It is important to check in on your friends and neighbors and make sure they are staying cool during this time.”