Dr. Maya Patel, the chief medical examiner for Maricopa County, has launched a comprehensive heat‑mortality surveillance program after a spike in summer fatalities last year. The initiative pairs death certificate analysis with real‑time temperature data to identify patterns of heat‑stroke, dehydration, and exacerbated chronic conditions. Dr. Patel explained that accurate tracking helps allocate emergency resources, informs public‑health advisories, and supports policy measures such as cooling centers and urban greening. Early results show a 15% reduction in heat‑related deaths in neighborhoods where targeted interventions were implemented.
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