FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2024
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ICYMI: Florida Ranks Second in the Nation for Heat-Related 911 Calls in May
FDP Chair Nikki Fried says “Republicans are making Florida more dangerous for everyone”
Tallahassee, FL — Last week, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that Florida ranked second in the nation for heat-related 911 calls in May, according to a new Heat Related EMS Activation Surveillance Dashboard from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This report comes after a new law signed by Ron DeSantis in April banned local governments from creating regulations to protect workers from extreme heat. Over two million Floridians work outside in the heat, putting them at increased risk for heat-related injury and death due to our growing climate crisis.
“Last summer was the hottest on record for the state of Florida, and this year shows no signs of cooling down,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “Instead of facing this crisis head on, Republicans are making Florida more dangerous for everyone — especially our construction and agriculture workers.”
Read the full story here: Dehydrated, nauseous, sunburned Floridians flood emergency rooms when temperatures rise
KEY EXCERPTS:
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“Florida ranked second in the U.S. for 911 calls related to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dangerous sunburn for the two weeks ending May 24…More than half the counties in Florida received higher-than-average EMS calls for heat-related emergencies from late April to May.”
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“The CDC hopes to encourage local leaders to put in stronger public health protections when EMS calls spike and a community has a high level of outdoor workers or few nearby hospitals. This year, however, Florida lawmakers restricted local governing agencies from instituting heat protections for workers.”
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“Heat waves kill more people in the U.S. than any other weather hazard, including hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined, according to the CDC…nearly three-quarters of the heat deaths last summer were in five southern states that were supposed to be used to the heat and planned for it, including 84 in Florida.”
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