Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health (AHRH)
Extreme heat now kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather-related hazard. As climate change accelerates, heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe. These events strain public health systems, worsen health inequities, and put frontline communities—especially outdoor workers and those without access to cooling—at grave risk.
To meet this moment, major national organizations convened the Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health (AHRH) in response to the OSHA rulemaking on heat illness prevention. The Alliance now includes over a dozen national organizations working in collaboration to advance protective standards, proactive emergency plans, and local and state-based engagement.
Current Campaign: Heat Safety Week
May 18-22, 2026
The Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health has developed a new toolkit to help you take meaningful action around the national Heat Safety Week. It is designed for anyone who wants to raise awareness about extreme heat and support policies that protect the people most at risk.
The toolkit is structured around three levels of engagement:
| Level 1: Social Media | Amplify heat safety messages during NIHHIS Heat Safety Week (May 18–22). Share content, use #HeatSafety, and help spread the word. |
| Level 2: Proclamation | Request an official proclamation from your mayor or governor recognizing Heat Safety Week, using our step-by-step guide and templates. |
| Level 3: Legislation | Explore local and state policy options to protect your community from extreme heat, with real-world examples. |
It also features additional resources to help you amplify your reach, including a Letter to the Editor template and op-ed guidance.
Let the AHRH know how you are taking action this Heat Safety Week here.
The AHRH also recently hosted a workshop on Heat Safety Week that can be viewed here. We heard from:
- Lauren Balotin, National Integrated Heat Health Information System
- Vaishnavi Tripuraneni, University of Delaware
- Melissa Griffin, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
- Natalie Rubio, a middle school student in Sacramento, California, who developed the idea that led to AB 1653
Efforts of the Alliance to Date
- A health organization sign-on letter to the National Governors Association, which provided policy recommendations for addressing extreme heat at the state level through protections and planning procedures. This toolkit provides resources to send the letter to your governor, amplify via social media, and write op-eds or LTEs to increase awareness for this effort.
- A webinar, hosted on October 22, 2024, on the importance of health professional engagement on the heat standard, with 395 registrants
- An informational fact sheet for health professionals on the standards
- An organizational sign-on letter to OSHA, signed by 86 health organizations
- Over 800 public comments from health professionals and health advocates submitted to the Federal Register
- 31 health professional registrants for the OSHA hearing on the extreme heat standard
This timely discussion with health leaders and policymakers addresses how states can lead the way in protecting communities from extreme heat. We also share highlights from the Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health’s organizational sign-on letter urging governors to lead on stronger state preparedness and protection plans.
Alliance Members
