Florida has highest rate of heat-related illnesses, report shows

Florida has the highest rate of emergency room visits as a result of heat-related health issues, which can range between rashes to fatal heat strokes, a new report shows.

The study by the Florida Policy Institute tallied almost 5,000 hospitalizations between 2018 and 2022, with over 5.7 million residents vulnerable to extreme heat. The report also drew attention to the nearly 500,000 Floridians who work outdoors, including in the construction and agriculture industries.

"Florida experienced its hottest summer on record last year and is poised to surpass that record this year. And it leads the nation in heat-related illness," reads a passage of the report. "Now more than ever, requiring employers to offer basic protections, like shade and water breaks, is critical."

The report draws attention to a bill by the Ron DeSantis administration, which prevents local governments from imposing their own heat exposure protection measures.

The initiative began after Miami-Dade authorities last year considered requiring construction and agriculture companies some measures to ensure their workers would be protected from the heat.

They included workers having access to water and giving them 10-minute breaks in the shade every two hours when the temperature reached or surpassed 95 °F.

Not long after, the Biden administration unveiled a proposal aimed at protecting these workers. If finalized, the rule would establish the first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat exposure in the workplace, potentially safeguarding up to 36 million indoor and outdoor workers.

Heat stress kills several workers every year, according to figures from the Labor Department. And the danger is only set to increase as the world continues to break heat records.

The country has seen scorching temperatures this summer, with several reports of heat-related deaths. For example, official statistics show that over 300 deaths are suspected to be linked to this summer's record-breaking heat wave in Maricopa County, Arizona.

A heat report dashboard showed 322 deaths suspected to have been a result of heat-related illness in the year and up to July 13. Almost 100 of those are attributed to a single week, from July 7-13, when temperatures reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

Maricopa County has confirmed 23 deaths to heat related illness, 17 of which were directly caused by heat and six "heat-contributed." During that week, Phoenix saw a new record of temperature. It happened on July 8 with a recorded 118-degree temperature, breaking the previous record of 115 °F set in 1985, the weather service said on X.

Moreover, severe heat amid widespread power outages during and after the storm has been identified as the major cause behind one-third of the 21 confirmed deaths in Texas attributed to Hurricane Beryl.