Preparing for the Health and Facility Impacts of Increased Heat

A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system (Laudato Si 23)

We have experienced increasing temperatures for decades, and this trend will continue. High heat has serious impacts on our health, and directly leads to more air pollution. Elevated heat indexes lead to more heart attacks, strokes, respiratory illnesses, premature births, violence, and even completed suicides. Our facilities also face challenges such as power outages, supply chain disruptions, communication failures and surges in patient volumes. California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles conducted the first Heat Disaster Drill on the West Coast in order to prepare our facility and staff for the inevitable – a prolonged and intense heat wave in Southern California.

Marc Futernich, Kim Ray and Patrick Caster

California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA