Health Information Portal (HIP)

Extreme Heat

Did you know, during the summer, some areas in Philly are 28 degrees hotter than others!

There has already been a declared Heat Caution this year in Philly, and last year, we had a Heat Health Emergency in June. We want to make sure you and your communities are prepared early.

See below for a list of summer programming and resources to help communities prepare for and stay safe during extreme heat events.

• STAY INFORMED. Get FREE heat and emergency warnings from @PhilaOEM directly to your phone.
  • Text READYPHILA to 888-777 to sign up.
  • Available in multiple languages.

• PREPARE FOR HOT DAYS INDOORS. Look into utility assistance programs.
  • When people stay home to stay cool from the heat, they may use more air conditioning. This could mean higher utility bills.
  • Check out these resources for help with more stable and comfortable housing this summer.
    • UESF connects residents to income-based programs to help with utility bills, and supportive services to keep families in their homes through empowerment, education, self-sufficiency training, and ongoing case management. Call UESF at 215-972-5170.
    • BenePhilly (800-994-5537) connects residents to non-income-based programs that can help with:
      • Health insurance and prescription drugs
      • Food and supplemental assistance
      • Property taxes
      • Heat and other utilities
      • Paying for college
      • Disability benefits

• SWITCH IT UP! Sometimes it may not be possible to avoid the heat. If you have to go outside:
  • Try doing errands and activities in the early morning or evening when it’s cooler outside.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, cover your head and bring water with you.
  • Stand in the shade and take breaks in AC whenever you can.

• STAY HYDRATED. Drinking plenty of water helps with your physical and mental health.
  • Drink plenty of cool water, even if you do not feel thirsty.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks.

• VISIT A COOLING CENTER. Escape the heat and enjoy some AC during Heat Health Emergencies.
  • To find a cooling center near you during a Heat Health Emergency, call 3-1-1 or visit bit.ly/PHLHeatSafety.
  • Public libraries are also great places to escape the heat, even when the heat is mild.

• VISIT A SPRAY GROUND. Get your feet wet in a free, fun, and safe way this summer.
  • Philly has more than 90 spray grounds!
  • To find one, visit bit.ly/SpraygroundFinder.

• VISIT A PUBLIC POOL. Have fun in the sun and stay active by cooling down at a pool.
  • Philly has more than 60 public pools!
  • To find one near you, visit bit.ly/PublicPoolFinder.

• APPLY TO BECOME A PLAYSTREET. Call 215-685-2719 or visit bit.ly/PHLPlaystreets.
  • Each weekday during the summer your street can be closed to serve free meals to kids on the block and allow them to play outside.
  • This is important during the summer months when school meals are not available.

• EXPLORE THE ARTS THIS SUMMER!
  • Art Reach provides $2 admission to over 80 cultural sites in Philadelphia and Delaware for individuals receiving public assistance for food or medical benefits.
  • Find participating locations at art-reach.org or call 267-515-6720.

• WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT EXTREME HEAT IN PHILLY?
  • Learn how to prepare for extreme heat, get heat safety tips, and local resources in multiple languages at phila.gov/heat.
  • View and share recordings of our Extreme Heat Safety Trainings in English and other languages.

• DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT!
  • Order FREE educational materials about extreme heat and DROP by your neighbor’s house/coworker’s office to share them.
  • Order FREE educational materials at bit.ly/PHPMaterials.

Extreme Heat Resources

Learn about extreme heat in Philadelphia and what you can do to prepare and get through the season safely.

Summer Heat Safety Training Series

• Trusted Messengers: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Citywide: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Arabic (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | French (PDF) | Haitian Creole (PDF) | Portuguese (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF)

Heat Brochure

• English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | French (PDF) | Russian (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF) | Portuguese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) | Khmer (PDF) | Indonesian (PDF) | Haitian Creole (PDF) | Amharic (PDF) | Arabic (PDF)

Summer Utility Assistance Flyer

• English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | French (PDF) | Russian (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF) | Portuguese (PDF) | Khmer (PDF) | Indonesian (PDF) | Haitian Creole (PDF) | Amharic (PDF) | Arabic (PDF) | Dari (PDF) | Pashto (PDF) | Polish (PDF) | Swahili (PDF)

Extreme Heat Fact Sheets for Specific Priority Groups

• English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Chinese (PDF) | French (PDF) | Russian (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF) | Portuguese (PDF) | Korean (PDF) | Khmer (PDF) | Indonesian (PDF) | Haitian Creole (PDF) | Ukrainian (PDF) | Swahili (PDF)

Trusted Messenger Checklists

• Block Captains: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Childcare: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Community Members: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Faith Leaders: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Home Health: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Youth Heat Materials

• It's a Hot Philly Summer: English (PDF)
• What's in My Bag? Summer Edition: English (PDF)
• Heat Activity Book: English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Summer Palm Card for People Experiencing Homelessness

• English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Extreme Heat Messaging Resources

• Text Message Templates
• Social Media Toolkit (PDF)