Now well into summer, Californians must take on the extreme heat which entails wildfires, power outages, and water-related disasters. 

In a media briefing on July 2, hosted by Ethnic Media Services in partnership with Listos California, a panel of experts discussed the forecast for extreme weather and shared essential safety information for the coming months.

Speakers

  • Sonya Harris, Senior Advisor, Listos California
  • Andrew Ramos, Captain, City of Sacramento Fire Department
  • Dr. Rita Nguyen, Assistant Health Officer for the State of California and Director of Population Health, California Department of Public Health
  • Charlene Gloriani, CalOSHA Program Senior Safety Engineer Communications and Outreach, California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA)
  • David Lawrence, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Amy Palmer, Deputy Secretary of Communications, Government Operations Agency

The Heat to Come

“We’re at the beginning stages of what looks to be a fairly long heat event across much of California,” said David Lawrence. Lasting anywhere from seven to nine days in all.

California will face highs from 100 to 115 degrees, and the nighttime will cruise around 70s to lower 80s.

“Going forward statewide, there’s no strong signal to suggest that we may see persistently hot temperatures through these three months,” said Lawrence. “Rather, we’re likely to see up-and-down stretches of intense heat, followed by a bit of relief.”

“Both the length of this heatwave and the very warm overnight temperatures are most concerning” for health impacts, he added.

Heat Illnesses

“People really underestimate how dangerous heat waves can be for Californians,” said Dr. Rita Nguyen. “Groups at higher risk of heat-related health impacts include those who are unhoused, working outdoors, working indoors without air conditioning, older adults, pregnant people, infants and children, people with disabilities, and lower-income populations.”

“But anyone can be a victim of life-threatening heatstroke, because a lot of it doesn’t necessarily have to do with absolute temperature, if folks are not acclimated,” Nguyen explained. “When there’s sudden changes, the temperature doesn’t cool at night, all these things increase the risk of heat illnesses or other underlying conditions like heart attack or stroke.”

“The good news is heat illnesses are preventable,” she continued. “Some of the warning signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, paleness, tiredness, irritability, and dizziness. If people are getting confused, passing out, or vomiting, seek medical attention right away.”

“Our three tips are: stay hydrated, stay cool, and stay informed,” said Nguyen, “Drink before you’re actually thirsty … to cool off your body as you sweat. Stay away from sugary, alcoholic, or caffeinated drinks, which can dehydrate you. Stay cool and adjust your activities to air-conditioned places when there’s a health alert … If you can’t find one, find your nearest cooling center, mall, or library. Also, use cold showers, lightweight clothing, and sunblock.”

“In this time of climate change, we’re getting more alerts and there may be alert fatigue. But when people stop paying attention, that’s when it gets dangerous,” she added.

Heat is the deadliest weather condition, “far more than wildfires and other disasters like floods,” added Amy Palmer.

Californians can sign up for local emergency alerts at listoscalifornia.org/alerts.

As for employees, Cal/OSHA regulations include heat illness prevention.

Outdoor employees are entitled to receive training on heat illness, have access to free clean drinking water free, access safe shade when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, be monitored for heat illness signs at temperatures 95 degrees plus, and to receive cooldown rest periods every two hours in such conditions.

Cal/OSHA recently approved regulations for indoor workplace heat illness prevention, as Charlene Gloriani noted. “The Office of Administrative Law has 30 working days to review the proposal, and the regulation will take effect immediately after the approval … It’s very similar to the outdoor standard. Generally, it applies when indoor temperatures are above 82 degrees … and if it’s above 87 degrees, require employers to implement engineering controls.”

Californians can report workplace hazards or obtain safety information from Cal/OSHA staff in English or Spanish by calling 833-579-0927 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Water Safety

Andrew Ramos shared, “I operate a 14-person CalOES swift water rescue team here in Sacramento … We conduct about 30 water-related rescues a year, which is a lot, and unfortunately, a majority of those involve deaths in drowning.”

Due to melting snowcaps, “our waterways are colder, deeper, and faster than normal right now,” he explained. “Although they may appear safe to wander into, use extreme caution. Make sure you’re wearing a Coast Guard-approved life vest and can swim. I was just speaking with another fire captain today, and he said in over 30 years, he’s never had to save a person wearing a life vest.”

Life vests can be easily rented from counties all over the stat through the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways.

“If you do fall in the water, don’t panic, breathe slowly and stay calm,” Ramos continued. “Kick off your shoes, try to keep your head above water, look out for debris and make your way to the sides of the stream … if someone near you falls in, please don’t dive in after them. Throw a flotation device towards them, have them grab it and call 911.”

Listos California

“These extreme weather conditions are a complex environment for Californians to adapt to,” said Sonya Harris. Following the Camp Fire in 2019, Governor Newsom’s office created Listos, a platform for disaster preparedness and education. 

Harris mentioned that Listos increased outreach regarding wildfire smoke through multilingual social media videos which provide insight about things like understanding was Air Quality Index (AQI) is. They educate the public to close doors and stay inside when the AQI is high among other important safety tips. 

Since 2023, Listos California has reached out to three million plus Californians through a phone bank program, having them sign up for emergency alerts, with a 25% success rate, which is still rather impeccable.

“Really, all incidents are local,” Harris added. “What we’ve learned in our work is that Californians are ready to prepare and help their families stay safer.”

 

Image: Adobe Stock