In the Heat of the Summer

Excerpt

Climate change and human health are intertwined.1 The heat waves in Chicago, in 1995, and in Paris, in 2003, followed by Hurricane Katrina’s destruction of New Orleans, raised awareness of the risks faced by vulnerable older people. Many cities have responded by announcing emergency preparedness plans; some of these plans have already been tested. Last summer, from July 27 to August 5, New York City suffered a mild heat wave with temperatures reaching 100°F. Paris, as well, was hit by another heat wave from July 17 to July 29, with maximum temperatures reaching 104°F, which was considerably milder than in 2003 when they often exceeded 110°F. In New York, there were 100 “excess deaths,” an increase of 8% over past trends.2 In Paris, the number of excess deaths in 2006 (42), also an increase of 8%, was considerably lower than the 1,294 deaths registered in 2003—an increase of 190% compared to the preceding three-year average. …