Governor Proclaims Heat Awareness Week

Heat Awareness Week

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, heat is known to significantly impact health through heat exhaustion, heat stroke, death, and worsening of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cerebrovascular disease, and North Carolina experienced 4,688 heat-related emergency department visits in the summer of 2024; and

Whereas, 2024 and 2023 were the hottest and second hottest years on record globally, and several North Carolina communities, both urban and rural, recorded their hottest days ever in 2024; and

Whereas, the Climate and Health Program at the NC Department of Health and Human Services sends out heat health alerts when dangerous temperatures are expected and sent out 1,241 county-level heat health alerts in 2024; and

Whereas, since 2001, North Carolina has recorded above-average nighttime temperatures, communities are experiencing an increase in the number of nights with temperatures that do not go below 70 degrees, and the risk of heat-related illness and death increases when temperatures stay high overnight; and

Whereas, heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition, and disproportionately affect people with underlying health conditions, infants and children, pregnant women, older adults, outdoor workers, athletes, and low-income individuals, who are more likely to live in locations without easy access to air conditioning; and

Whereas, heat-related illnesses are preventable and monitoring and minimizing the health risks associated with heat is a collaborative effort across public health organizations, academic partners, community organizations, employers, and individuals; and

Whereas, state and federal agencies, scientists, health experts, and community leaders have collaborated to develop resources to help local governments and community partners in North Carolina build resilience to the health impacts of extreme heat, including the Heat Action Plan Toolkit, the Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort, the Heat Health Alert System, the Heat-Related Illness Surveillance System, the North Carolina Resilience Exchange, and the North Carolina Resilient Communities Planning Guide;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 25-31, 2025, as “Heat Awareness Week” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this sixth day of May in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.