WASHINGTON (July 24, 2023)— The deadly heat wave hitting the U.S. is expected to continue this week, as The National Weather Service has issued heat alerts on Monday for 40 million Americans across 10 states in the Midwest and Southwest. Many cities continue to set new records of the number of consecutive days above 110 degrees. This week California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah may be the hardest hit states, although temperatures across the country remain above average. The last 20 days on Earth have been the hottest 20 days on record.
Public Health
Kate Applebaum is a professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the health effects of heat waves, particularly on the kidneys of outdoor workers.
David Michaels, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and a former administrator of OSHA. He can discuss the risks for workers exposed to extreme heat and ways employers can mitigate that risk.
Medical
Robert Shesser is a professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the School of Medicine & Health Science. He can discuss the treatment of heat-related illnesses.
Maria Portela Martinez is an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at the School of Medicine & Health Science and a family medicine physician. She is also available for Spanish-language media.
Neelu Tummala is a clinical assistant professor of surgery and is Co-Director of the Climate & Health Institute with a special interest in the effects of climate change on population health. She can speak to her experience treating patients who have been impacted by climate change, as well as how environmental justice impacts vulnerable populations. In this video she speaks about the public health dangers during extreme heat.
To request an interview please contact Rachel Larris, [email protected].