Make an extreme-heat plan for your household

Use forecasts and alerts from the National Weather Service, local public-health agency, or emergency management. CDC also provides HeatRisk information. Avoid choosing one universal temperature trigger: humidity, overnight temperatures, exposure, housing, work, age, pregnancy, health conditions, medication, and access to cooling can change risk.

Write two actions next to the official forecast: what the household does before the hottest period and what it does if the home cannot remain safely cool. Include an indoor destination with working cooling, its hours, transport, accessibility, pet policy, backup location, and a contact who can confirm it is open.

Plan for outages. Air conditioning, elevators, powered medical devices, water pumps, and communications may fail together. A fan is not a substitute for cooling in every condition; CDC’s current public guidance says to use fans indoors only when indoor temperatures are below 90°F.

Identify who may need earlier help: people who live alone, have limited mobility, work or exercise outdoors, are pregnant, are very young or older, or have chronic conditions. Do not use the list to diagnose risk; ask the person’s clinician what belongs in an individualized heat action plan.

Set specific check-ins: who contacts whom, at what times, and what happens after a missed response. A text message alone is not proof that someone is safe. Confirm who can make an in-person check without entering a dangerous environment and when to use emergency services.

Include animals. Provide species-appropriate water, shade, cooling, ventilation, transport, and destination planning. Never leave a child, dependent person, or pet in a parked vehicle. Ask a veterinarian about species, medication, enclosure, and temperature needs rather than relying on a human heat plan.

CDC’s general guidance emphasizes staying cool, staying hydrated, and knowing symptoms. Store and rotate safe drinking water, but do not prescribe a universal fluid amount. Some health conditions require individualized fluid or salt advice; ask a clinician rather than changing a care plan during hot weather.

Review which rooms stay coolest, how windows and shades are managed, and which approved cooling equipment is available. Test thermometers and power supplies. Do not run fuel-burning generators or cooking equipment indoors, and do not create an electrical overload with temporary equipment.

Many medicines can affect heat response or require protection from heat. Ask a clinician or pharmacist what to do before the season. Do not stop, split, substitute, refrigerate, or relocate medicine unless its instructions or a qualified professional say to do so.

Learn the current symptom and first-aid guidance from CDC and your local health authority, and decide who will call for help. Do not ask a planning app to distinguish heat exhaustion from heat stroke. If someone has severe symptoms, is confused, collapses, or appears to be in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.

Practice the logistics before a hot day: get to the cool destination, carry mobility and medical equipment, bring water and pet supplies, and test the check-in. Stop the drill if travel or exposure would be unsafe.

After each heat event, record what failed: the destination was closed, the room stayed too warm, a ride was unavailable, or a check-in was missed. Fix one dependency. The plan supports decisions but cannot guarantee a safe temperature or health outcome.