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State health officials detail heat-related illness surveillance, thresholds and local preparedness steps
Summary
NCDHHS epidemiologists described clinical signs of heat-related illness, the state's heat-health alert system tied to region-specific, health-calibrated thresholds, and recommended operational steps—cooling centers, hospital staffing and outreach—to protect vulnerable populations during the extended 2026 heat season.
State health officials described how North Carolina is tracking and responding to heat-related illness and urged local agencies to prepare targeted outreach and operational supports.
Autumn Locklear Clark, the Climate and Health Epidemiologist at NCDHHS, reviewed clinical presentations of heat-related illnesses—heat cramps, syncope, exhaustion and heat stroke—and the immediate care steps for severe cases. "If a patient is experiencing heat stroke... this is a medical emergency, and you need to call 911," she said, adding guidance on cooling methods and when to seek medical attention.
Surveillance and thresholds: Locklear Clark explained the state’s heat-related illness (HRI) surveillance using NC Detect (the statewide syndromic surveillance system) that aggregates emergency-department and EMS data. She described region-specific heat-index thresholds calibrated with Duke University Nicholas Institute researchers using 15 years of ED and mortality records; the climate-and-health team issues heat alerts twice weekly when a county’s forecasted daily maximum heat index meets or exceeds the region’s threshold.
Vulnerable groups and operational advice: Nikhil Kothigal, climate-and-health team lead, and Katie Webster of NC Emergency Management stressed outreach to older adults, people with chronic conditions, pregnant people, the unhoused and outdoor workers. Kothigal recommended transportation to cooling centers, proactive activation of cooling centers, and workplace acclimation practices for exposed workers. "Are cooling centers being activated?" he asked rhetorically, urging jurisdictions to consider transportation and communication strategies for people who cannot afford air conditioning.
Practical steps for local governments: The briefing offered specific tools and templates: a state Heat Action Plan toolkit with a prewritten template and 31 suggested actions, a cooling-center checklist and a cohort program to help jurisdictions build plans. Andrea Webster (DEQ) encouraged officials to create centralized web pages for local resources, advertise cooling-center hours and coordinate between emergency management and health departments.
Ending: Health officials asked local partners to sign up for the state's heat-alert emails, to use the health-based thresholds in local planning and to coordinate hospital staffing and public messaging as forecasts indicate increased heat risk.
