Climate Change and Health

Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location.

In the United States, public health can be affected by disruptions of physical, biological, and ecological systems, including disturbances originating here and elsewhere. The health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries, and premature deaths related to extreme weather events, changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of food- and water-borne illnesses and other infectious diseases, and threats to mental health. (CDC, 2024)

Extreme Heat

Extreme heat can be dangerous and can cause poor health outcomes including hospitalization and death.  To keep yourself and your family safe, be prepared, stay cool, stay hydrated, and avoid too much outdoor activity.

Extreme Cold

During extremely cold weather or winter storms, staying warm and safe can be a challenge. Winter storms can bring cold temperatures, power failures, loss of communication services, and icy roads. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, you should know how to prepare your home and your car before a winter storm hits.



Be Prepared

    • This is map-based tool available through the National Weather Service.
    • The NWS HeatRisk is an experimental color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast risk of heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period.
    • HeatRisk takes into consideration:
      • How unusual the heat is for the time of the year.
      • The duration of the heat including both daytime and nighttime temperatures
      • If those temperatures pose an elevated risk of heat-related impacts based on data from the CDC
Stay Cool
  • Stay inside in the air conditioning if possible.
  • If you don't have access to air-conditioning within your home, open windows and shades on the shady side and close them on the sunny side to try to cool it down. It may also be cooler outside in the shade.
  • Identify free locations areas in your neighborhood where you can go to stay cool such as a public library, pool, splash park, or shopping center.
    • Find Cooling Centers in Niagara County.
    • Find Cooling Centers in New York State.
    • Visit a Splash Park in Niagara County
      • Krull Park: 6108 Lake Road Olcott, NY 14126, hours 9 AM - 8 PM
      • Oppenheim Park: 2713 Niagara Falls Boulevard Niagara Falls, NY 14304, hours 9 AM - 8 PM
      • Hyde Park: Hyde Park Boulevard and Pine Avenue Niagara Falls, NY 14301, hours dawn - dusk
  • Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness.
  • Beat the heat with cool showers and baths.
  • Take regular breaks from physical activity.
  • Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day (between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
  • Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing to help keep cool.
  • Stay out of the sun as much as possible.
  • Wear sunscreen and a ventilated hat (e.g., straw or mesh) when in the sun, even if it is cloudy.
  • Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.
 Infographic: Beat the Heat: Extreme Heat. Preventing heat-related deaths.

Stay Hydrated

  • Drink plenty of fluids - preferably water.
  • Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
  • Stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
  • Avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
  • Warning: If your doctor limits the amount you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.

Never Leave Children and Pets Unsupervised in Hot Cars 

There is a real and severe danger when leaving children or pets unsupervised in a car even when temperatures don't feel hot. At 60 degrees outside, after just one hour a closed car can get as hot as 105 degrees. 

Safety Tips for Children

  • Never leave a child in an unattended vehicle in the warm weather, not even with the windows slightly open or down, due to the risk of heatstroke (hyperthermia).
  • If you see a child in a hot car, call 911 right away and follow their instructions. Emergency personnel are trained to respond.
  • Teach children not to play in or around vehicles and to alert an adult when a friend is playing in a vehicle without supervision. Make sure children understand the dangers of trunk entrapment (suffocation, heatstroke, etc.).
  • Place something you need, like keys, a purse or bag, or your cell phone, next to your child's car seat so you will remember to check the backseat before you lock the car. Alternatively, place a stuffed toy in your child's car seat when not in use and move the toy to the front passenger seat when your child is in his/her car seat as a reminder that your child is in the vehicle.
  • Use drive-through services whenever possible while driving with a child in a vehicle.
  • It is vital to recognize the symptoms of heatstroke in children. Symptoms include absence of sweat, confusion, disorientation, flushed skin, loss of alertness, unconsciousness or rapid/shallow breathing.
Safety Tips for Pets

  • Never leave a pet unattended in the car. Like children, dogs and other animals have a harder time staying cool, leaving them extremely vulnerable to heatstroke.
  • A car can overheat even when the window has been left cracked an inch or two. Parking in the shade or leaving water in the vehicle wont prevent your pet from overheating, either.
  • According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), young, overweight or senior animals or those with short muzzles or thick or dark coats are most at risk for overheating.
  • If you see a pet in a hot car, call 911 immediately.
  • Recognize the symptoms of heatstroke in pets and take action if you see them. Symptoms include restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy and lack of appetite or coordination.

Learn the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and how to treat them.

Text demonstrating what to look for and what to do for various heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, sunburn, and heat rash.
 
Learn signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

Download Infographic

Check on people who are at high risk

  • Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:
    • Infants and young children
    • People 65 years of age or older
    • People who are overweight
    • People who overexert during work or exercise
    • People who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation
  • Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

Additional Resources:
New York State Department of Health Niagara County Health Vulnerability
Learn more about how extreme Heat and Your Health from the CDC.