Maricopa County has launched a first-of-its-kind coordinated heat relief network that connects cooling centers, water distribution sites, medical facilities, and outreach teams into a single system designed to prevent heat-related deaths during the scorching Arizona summer.
The network, called the Maricopa Heat Defense System, uses real-time data, mobile technology, and coordinated communication among more than 60 partner organizations — including city governments, nonprofits, hospitals, and faith-based groups — to deploy resources where they’re needed most during extreme heat events.
“Last year, Maricopa County recorded more than 600 heat-associated deaths. That is unacceptable,” said county public health director Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine. “This system is designed to ensure that when the temperature hits dangerous levels, no one falls through the cracks.”
The system’s centerpiece is a digital dashboard that tracks cooling center capacity, water distribution, emergency medical calls, and social media reports of people in distress in real time. When temperatures exceed trigger thresholds, the system automatically notifies partner organizations and activates additional resources in the most affected areas.
“Think of it as a weather-activated safety net,” said county emergency management director Matt Heckard. “The hotter it gets, the more resources we deploy, and they go exactly where the data tells us they’re needed.”
Street outreach teams focused on the unsheltered population — who account for a disproportionate share of heat deaths — are a critical component. The teams, staffed by trained social workers and paramedics, patrol known encampment areas during heat waves, distributing water, checking on vulnerable individuals, and transporting people to cooling centers.
The network also includes a partnership with rideshare companies to provide free rides to cooling centers during excessive heat warnings, and a text-based alert system that delivers heat safety information in English, Spanish, and five other languages.
Funding for the system comes from county health funds, a Centers for Disease Control climate and health grant, and contributions from the private sector. Officials plan to evaluate the system’s effectiveness after the 2026 summer season.
“We can’t control the temperature, but we can control our response,” Sunenshine said. “Every heat death is preventable, and that’s our goal — zero.”
