Abstract
To examine the efficacy of municipal heat watch warning systems, a thorough evaluation of the heat mitigation plans of four North American cities - Dayton (Ohio, USA), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA), Phoenix (Arizona, USA), and Toronto (Ontario, Canada) - was undertaken. In concert with this evaluation was a survey of residents in the metropolitan areas of these cities that gauged their perception of their own vulnerability to the heat, as well as their knowledge of heat warnings and the activities recommended to be undertaken to help mitigate the effects of the heat. In total, 908 respondents participated in the telephone survey. Some of the key results indicate that knowledge of the heat warning was nearly universal (90%), and likely due to pervasive media coverage more than any other means. Though knowledge of the event was widespread, knowledge of what to do was less common. Only around half of all respondents mentioned that they changed their behavior, and despite the diversity of information available on mitigating heat vulnerability, most respondents stated that they merely “avoided the outdoors” at all costs. Though air conditioning was nearly ubiquitous among respondents, over a third mentioned that economic factors of energy costs were considered in terms of how long or whether the air conditioner was turned on.
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Notes
Note that, except where indicated, the phrase “warning” is used to encompass “excessive heat warning”, “heat advisory”, “extreme heat alert”, and “heat alert”.
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Acknowledgments
The author would first and foremost like to thank the United States Environmental Protection Agency for its financial support (research award #XA-83105001-0) and guidance, particularly Mr. Alan Perrin. In addition, the following people are gratefully acknowledged for their assistance with this project: Laurence Kalkstein, for his helpful feedback on various aspects of this project. Nancy Day (Toronto Public Health), Jerry Libby (Philadelphia Department of Health), and Karen Tomic, for their assistance in the development of the questionnaire. Anton Haffer (Phoenix NWS), Chris Marshall (Environment Canada), Gary Szatkowski (Mt. Holly, New Jersey NWS), and Greg Tipton (Wilmington, Ohio NWS), for their contribution of meteorological information for this work. Ben Dutcher and Bruno Maier (Combined Health District of Montgomery County, Ohio), Don Herrington (Arizona Department of Health Services), Lawrence Robinson (Philadelphia Department of Health), and Marco Vittiglio (Toronto Public Health), for their assistance with health-related information. The Kent State Survey Research Lab, especially Brian McDonald, for their invaluable assistance with the questionnaire, and the flexibility to conduct the survey on short notice. Tim Dolney and Jason Senkbeil, for their assistance in several areas of the project.
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Sheridan, S.C. A survey of public perception and response to heat warnings across four North American cities: an evaluation of municipal effectiveness. Int J Biometeorol 52, 3–15 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-006-0052-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-006-0052-9