New York City is facing its first heat wave of the season, with temperatures anticipated to reach triple digits. Mayor Eric Adams warns that these extreme conditions can be fatal, especially for low-income and Black residents. A Heat Vulnerability Index shows that certain neighborhoods, particularly in Harlem, are at the highest risk due to factors including access to air conditioning and income disparities. While citywide AC ownership is high, low-income areas see significantly lower rates, resulting in increased vulnerability to heat-related illnesses and deaths among those without cooling options.
The heat wave will not just be uncomfortable and oppressive for New Yorkers, it will be brutal and dangerous, said Mayor Eric Adams in a Saturday announcement.
Extreme heat is a more prolific killer than most people think; some 500 New Yorkers die of heat-related illnesses every year.
Among those who have died from heat stress, most were found in homes without functioning air conditioners. In cases where information was available, none of the individuals who died had a working AC unit.
The city’s Heat Vulnerability Index identifies several communities at the highest level of concern. In Manhattan, Central Harlem, East Harlem, and North Harlem are among the most at-risk.
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