Transcript:

Five summers ago, an unprecedented heat wave baked the Pacific Northwest, killing hundreds of people.

Iyaz: “It was the most devastating weather-related event in Washington’s history.”

Daaniya Iyaz is the climate preparedness program manager with King County, which includes Seattle.

She says the event was so deadly in part because the historically cool, drizzly region is unaccustomed to extreme heat – and unprepared for it.

Washington is one of the states with the lowest rates of air conditioning in homes. And many houses are designed to maximize sun and heat retention rather than cooling.

So when temperatures spiked, homes got hot fast and stayed hot – endangering vulnerable people inside.

Iyaz: “The most deaths that we saw were from older adults due to those indoor temperatures.”

So as part of its first extreme heat mitigation strategy, King County adopted a goal of expanding access for low-income seniors to AC units and heat pumps, which also provide air conditioning.

The county is also working with community partners to set up more cooling centers in locations that residents already frequent and trust.

So as climate change causes more extreme heat waves, the county’s taking steps to protect some of its most vulnerable residents.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media