Fighting Heat with Unified Planning

Ericka Huston, Emergency Manager, City of Chandler, Arizona

Extreme heat may not come with sirens or visible destruction, but it remains the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States. According to both the National Weather Service and the CDC, heat claims more lives each year than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or lightning. In Chandler, Arizona, the danger is especially severe. Every summer, lives are lost to heat-related illnesses. These deaths are tragically preventable and disproportionately impact the most vulnerable residents.

Despite its lethal impact, extreme heat is not recognized as a major disaster under the Stafford Act. This limits the ability of communities to access critical federal resources and respond with the urgency this growing threat demands.

Chandler, Arizona, population of approximately 282,000 residents, is nestled in the Sonoran Desert where hotter summers, heat emergencies are no longer anomalies but rather they are predictable, recurring crises. The Sonoran Desert has one of the longest heat seasons in North America, often beginning as early as April and extending into October. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 110°F, especially during June through August. This poses a serious risk for heat-related illness, especially among people without reliable shelter or cooling access. Unlike most deserts that cool rapidly after sunset, urbanized areas like Chandler often retain the heat at night. Maricopa County Department of Public Health advises that cooler nights provide an opportunity for the body to recover. However, if nights remain unusually warm, higher temperatures will occur earlier in the day and last longer, posing a significant risk for heat-related illness, especially among certain groups, including older adults, young children, people experiencing homelessness and those with underlying health conditions.

Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke addressed these concerns by tasking the City of Chandler to identify a solution to meet the needs of the vulnerable population exposed to extreme heat weather events. These operational efforts are currently underway with the implementation of a Unified Heat Relief Team.

Chandler Launches Unified Heat Relief Team, Becoming Arizona’s Second City to Adopt Incident Management Model

In response to Arizona’s intensifying summers, the City of Chandler has taken a proactive and strategic step in protecting its residents from the dangers of extreme heat. Chandler is now the second city in the state of Arizona to establish a Heat Relief Unified Team, a citywide collaborative modeled after the City of Phoenix’s nationally recognized approach that integrates the principles of the Incident Command System (ICS).

The launch of this unified team represents a significant milestone in the region’s emergency management evolution and one that acknowledges extreme heat as not just a weather event but also as a recurring public health and safety crisis. It became evident that daytime cooling centers alone were insufficient to fully address the needs of residents. Meaningful action required enhancing and expanding existing resources to more effectively support the community.

Building on a Proven Framework

In 2023, Phoenix set the standard by piloting a heat response model that applied ICS principles to seasonal extreme heat. This is an all-hazards concept but one that is traditionally reserved for incidents such as wildfires, floods, or mass casualty events. The Phoenix model demonstrated the power of a coordinated, cross-sector response to heat emergencies and informed Chandler’s planning process in early 2025.

“Collaboration is phenomenal with various statewide discussion boards, situation reports, and heat response partner meetings occurring at all levels of government within Arizona and amongst public and private partnerships and community-based organizations locally”

Taking inspiration from that success, Chandler adapted the ICS model to fit the city’s structure, launching its first Heat Relief Unified Team ahead of the 2025 heat season. Chandler’s goal was to create a unified approach that brings city departments, nonprofits, and regional partners under one response structure, allowing the city to scale up quickly and serve residents more efficiently when temperatures soar. These planning efforts will ensure local resources are available to best protect residents from extreme heat.

A Unified Team with Tactical Precision

The Heat Relief Unified Team is utilizing Incident Action Plans (IAP) to outline a clearly defined command and control structure. The IAP’s operational focus spans both day and overnight respite centers, cooling facilities, mobile outreach teams, and emergency sheltering resources. The unified command structure brings together representatives from Chandler’s Emergency Management and Neighborhood Resources divisions, coordinating closely with multiple city departments, nonprofit partners, while maintaining a shared operating picture with local, county, and state agencies involved in emergency management and public health.

Vulnerable Populations in Extreme Heat

Reaching vulnerable populations is a central focus of Chandler’s heat response strategy. The plan prioritizes proactive engagement with individuals at highest risk, including people experiencing homelessness, older adults, those with chronic health conditions, and anyone lacking access to adequate cooling. Mobile outreach teams are deployed to high- isk areas such as parks and transit centers, where they provide direct support and share critical information. These fieldlevel interactions foster trust and build sustained relationships rooted in care, compassion, and community connection.

In parallel, Chandler has expanded access to indoor cooling spaces by coordinating a network of daytime and overnight locations that offer essential services including water, meals, hygiene supplies, and transportation. These efforts reflect a strategic, compassionate approach to ensuring that those most affected by extreme heat have consistent and reliable access to lifesaving resources.

By addressing not just immediate needs but also the underlying factors that affect wellbeing (access to rest, nutrition, hydration, and a safe, cool environment) Chandler’s heat response aims to promote long-term stability and resilience. When basic human needs are met, individuals are better equipped to engage with community resources, support themselves, and contribute meaningfully to society.

Data-Driven Response

The effort is timely. Arizona continues to experience a surge in heat-related illnesses. In 2024, the Arizona Department of Health Services recorded 5,974 heat-related emergency department visits with Maricopa County (where Chandler is located) accounting for the highest numbers. Chandler’s Incident Action Plan includes ongoing data collection and analysis to inform real-time response and guide future operational decisions.

Looking Forward

Chandler’s effort reflects a larger statewide shift. Governor Katie Hobbs’ 2024 Extreme Heat Executive Order emphasized the need for cross-agency heat coordination, calling on local governments to adopt new models of response. Chandler’s adoption of an ICS-based team is a direct answer to that call.

Effective heat response solutions is a hot topic throughout Arizona (pun intended). Collaboration is phenomenal with various statewide discussion boards, situation reports, and heat response partner meetings occurring at all levels of government within Arizona and amongst public and private partnerships and community-based organizations locally. As record-breaking temperatures continue to occur each year, Chandler’s Heat Relief Unified Team offers a replicable, scalable blueprint to continue to protect Chandler residents to strengthen resiliency within the community and to ultimately save lives.