Business View Civil and Municipal l January 2023

7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 Source, American Town and County, Andy Castillo, Published Dec 16, 2022 Miami-Dade County in Florida is the latest county government to launch an Extreme Heat Action Plan —an initiative that’s designed to address challenges through education, improved cooling options and infrastructure upgrades. “While Miami-Dade County is known internationally for its vulnerability to hurricanes and flooding, extreme heat causes more death and has a greater annual economic impact than any other climate or weather-related disaster,” a statement about the initiative reads. “Each year, this silent killer kills approximately 34 people in Miami-Dade County. It also creates economic losses estimated at $10 billion annually, due in chief to lost worker productivity.” Today, the county averages 51 more days each year with temperatures more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit than it did 50 years ago. To that end, the plan outlines a number of goals. First, it’s intended to educate people and health care providers through outreach, and to improve heat warning systems and emergency protocols. Second, it was designed to make more accessible efficient cooling options for homeowners. Expanding tree canopy and adding more water features is the third step FACING A CHANGING CLIMATE, FLORIDA’S MIAMI-DATE COUNTY LAUNCHES EXTREME HEAT ACTION PLAN OPENING LINES