People aged 65 years or older

Older adults are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature. Many people don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. If you’re older, be sure to drink water during extreme heat. Others should check in on older adults to make sure they’re staying cool and hydrated.

Older adults who have questions about the heat can call the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s Helpline at (215) 765-9040.

Infants and young children

Young children (under age 4) are sensitive to the effects of excessive heat. If you care for young children, they’re relying on you to stay cool and hydrated.

People with certain chronic medical conditions

Many prescription medications can contribute to dehydration. They may also affect the body’s ability to regulate body temperature. These medications include antihistamines, beta blockers, and drugs used to treat mental illnesses like depression and schizophrenia. Ask your healthcare provider how extreme heat events may affect you.

People with certain chronic conditions are also at high risk. Common risks include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and asthma. People with these conditions are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature.

• Diabetes: People with diabetes get dehydrated more quickly. High temperatures can change how your body uses insulin. If you have diabetes, you may need to test your blood sugar more often. This will help you adjust your insulin dose and what you eat and drink.
• Cardiovascular disease: People with heart disease may be more vulnerable to heatstroke. Some medicines used to treat high blood pressure, like diuretics (water pills), can make dehydration worse.
• Asthma and other respiratory diseases: High temperatures can affect air quality. People with asthma and other breathing problems may have worse symptoms during high temperatures.

You may need to stay indoors or visit a cooler location when it’s hot. Check air quality ratings so you can make a plan.

Some Philadelphia neighborhoods are hotter than others. Identifying those neighborhoods helps the City keep people safe during very hot weather.

The Philadelphia Heat Vulnerability Index shows which areas in the city are hottest and coolest during the summer. The index was created by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Office of Sustainability.

Some of the hottest neighborhoods in Philadelphia are:

• Cobbs Creek.
• Point Breeze.
• Strawberry Mansion.
• Hunting Park.

Affected neighborhoods are hotter because they have:

• Lower tree canopies with younger, shorter trees.
• Fewer green spaces.
• More exposed asphalt and dark surfaces, including black roofs.
• Older, less weatherized homes, largely due to a history of redlining and lack of investment.

Muscle cramps may be the first sign of heat-related illness.

Symptoms may include:

• Heavy sweating.
• Painful muscle spasms, often in the abdomen, arms, or calves.

What to do:

• Stop activity and move to a cooler location.
• Drink water.
• Seek medical attention if cramps persist for more than one hour.

Heat exhaustion can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate replacement of fluids. People are most prone to heat exhaustion if they:

• Are 65 years old or older.
• Have high blood pressure.
• Work or exercise in a hot environment.

Symptoms may include:

• Heavy sweating.
• Headache.
• Weakness.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Fainting.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.

What to do:

• Go to an air-conditioned space. On especially hot days, the City opens cooling centers.
• Sip cool, non-alcoholic beverages.
• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Rest.
• Seek medical attention if symptoms persist for more than one hour.

Heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness. Heatstroke can cause death or permanent disability without emergency treatment.

Symptoms may include:

• Very high body temperature (above 103°F).
• Red, hot, dry skin (no sweating).
• Confusion.
• Throbbing headache.
• Nausea.
• Unconsciousness.

If you see someone with these symptoms, call 911 immediately. This is a medical emergency.

Stay hydrated:

• Drink plenty of water. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks.

When you’re outside:

• Avoid working, exercising, or playing outside during the hottest part of the day (usually noon to 5 p.m.).
• Slow down. Rest in the shade or a cool place when you can.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothes.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella for shade.

At home:

• Use air conditioners and fans. If you use a fan, make sure your windows are open to release trapped hot air.
• Use drapes, shades, or awnings in your home. Outdoor awnings can reduce the heat that enters the home by up to 80 percent.
• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Visit a friend with air conditioning or spend time in a cool place like a mall, library, senior center, or cooling center. Even a few hours in air conditioning during the hottest part of the day can help your body recover.

Remember:

• Never leave older people, children, or pets alone in cars.
• Check on older adults who live alone.

Fire hydrants:

Fire hydrants are for fighting fires. Opening hydrants to cool off decreases water pressure. This makes it harder for Philadelphia firefighters to do their jobs. It can also damage water mains. If you see an open hydrant, call the Water Department’s emergency line at (215) 685-6300.

These programs can help you pay your utility bills to keep your home cool:

• Neighborhood Energy Centers: Apply for bill payment assistance, learn how to conserve water, gas, and electricity, and get energy counseling.
• Basic Systems Repair Program: Get free repairs for electrical, plumbing, heating, structural, and roofing emergencies in eligible owner-occupied homes.
• Utility Emergency Services Fund (UESF): Find grants to help pay home electricity bills.
• PECO Customer Assistance Program (CAP): Get a monthly credit toward your PECO bill.

During very hot weather, the City may declare a heat health emergency.

In a heat health emergency:

• A special Heatline is open for calls: (215) 765-9040. Call the Heatline to get health safety tips and talk to a nurse about medical problems related to the heat.
• Cooling centers stay open later.
• Mobile heat health teams may be dispatched.
• Residential utility shutoffs stop.

If you think someone is having a medical emergency, call 911.

Emergency notifications

Sign up for ReadyPhiladelphia to get text and email notifications about heat and other emergencies. The alerts are free, but your wireless provider may charge for text messaging.

Ready Philadelphia

Providing emergency information via text and email.

Code Red

During very hot weather the City can declare a Code Red to protect people who are homeless. A Code Red also affects pet care.

For people who are homeless:

• Call the outreach team at (215) 232-1984 if you see someone on the street who needs help.
• Call 911 if there is a medical emergency.

For pets:

• All dogs must have shade to protect them from the sun. If you do not provide your dog shade, you could face a fine of $500 or more.
• To report a dog left outdoors in very hot weather, call the Animal Care & Control Team (ACCTPhilly) at (267) 385-3800.

Today, the Earth is warming at an accelerated rate due to human activities. The primary driver of this trend is the burning of fossil fuels, such as gas, oil, and coal, to power transportation, buildings, and industry. Burning fossil fuels release greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere. This acts like an insulating blanket around the planet.

This process, known as the greenhouse effect, is changing our climate. It is leading to more extreme weather events and affecting how we live, move, and care for one another.

What this means for Philadelphia

Philadelphia is experiencing more extreme heat and heatwaves because of climate change. Since 1970, average annual temperatures in the city have increased by nearly 4°F. Seven of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 2000, and nine of the 10 have occurred since 1990.

Heatwaves are periods of unusual hot and humid weather lasting multiple days. In Philadelphia, heatwaves are projected to become more common, last longer, and feel more intense.

By 2080, Philadelphia may experience the following extreme heat conditions (compared to a baseline period from 1985-2014):

• Average temperatures are expected to increase by approximately 5-8°F.
• The hottest day of the year could increase nearly 10°F, reaching 107°F.
• The number of days each year with temperatures reaching over 100°F could increase from less than one to nearly three weeks.
• Estimates call for up to five heatwaves per year, using Philadelphia’s heat health emergency thresholds.

Extreme heat is Philadelphia’s deadliest natural hazard to date. It can:

• Cause dehydration, heatstroke, and other harms to people’s health
• Worsen existing health conditions, like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
• Put certain vulnerable populations at greater risk of health harms. This includes outdoor workers, unhoused communities, pregnant people, the elderly, and young people.

The effects of extreme heat are not felt equally across Philadelphia. During the summer months, some neighborhoods can be nearly 30°F hotter on average than others. One key reason is the urban heat island effect. Cities and neighborhoods with fewer trees and green spaces tend to be hotter than surrounding areas because buildings, roads, and other hard surfaces absorb and retain heat. This is similar to the way a cast-iron pan will radiate heat once its temperature increases and remains hot long after the burner is turned off.

Historically, underserved and under-resourced neighborhoods and communities of color are more likely to be harmed by extreme heat. Residents in these communities experience:

• Higher rates of health conditions that can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses. This includes asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.
• The highest energy burden (proportion of income spent on energy bills).
• Less access to reliable and efficient cooling systems like mini-splits AC, heat pumps, and newer air-conditioning units.
• Older housing that is drafty and harder to cool.

This pattern of unequal exposure and vulnerability shows that climate change is not only a public health issue; it is also a racial and social equity issue.

Philadelphia is working to address climate change. The City has programs and strategies designed to reduce citywide carbon emissions, while preparing Philadelphia for the impacts of climate change. The goal is to go carbon neutral by 2050. The programs and strategies are:

• TreePhilly, an urban forestry program of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy. Trees and greenspace absorb carbon, the main greenhouse gas behind climate change. They can provide relief from heat through shade and evapotranspiration.
• Solarize Philly, a rooftop solar program of the Philadelphia Energy Authority. Switching to renewable systems like solar power is a critical part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making energy sustainable.
• The Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy addresses the disproportionately high energy costs that many overburdened residents face.

The Philadelphia Office of Sustainability (OOS) also leads programs and initiatives designed to prepare the city for extreme heat and build heat resilience.

• The Strawberry Mansion Cool Neighborhood Plan, in partnership with the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, is working to reduce the neighborhood’s heat risks.
• OOS is working with Climate Resilience Partners and residents to update the Climate Resilience Plan. The plan will address climate issues citywide.
• OOS is testing how different road and roof materials can help neighborhoods beat the heat.
• Cool Pavement Pilot in Hunting Park.
• Cool Roofs Pilot, in partnership with the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation.
• The Community Resilience and Environmental Justice Fund provides grants to community-based organizations working on environmental justice projects, including projects on climate emergency preparedness, energy burden, and heat resilience.

The City also has many resources to help residents prepare for extreme heat and respond to heat emergencies. Check out those resources at How to Stay Safe.