Overview
- Maricopa County’s interactive Heat Relief Network map, which goes live Friday, will show more than 200 cooling, hydration, and donation sites that operate through September 30.
- Phoenix is rolling out a 23‑action Heat Response Plan funded at about $5.25 million that adds a 24/7 cooling center at Jackson Street and First Avenue and extends library cooling hours.
- 211 Arizona will answer calls daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in English and Spanish to connect residents with cooling sites, rides, utility help, or emergency A/C repair, while a 24/7 Heat Respite and Navigation Center offers overnight relief and service referrals.
- County figures show heat deaths fell to about 427 in 2025, yet officials confirmed the first 2026 heat death in early April, and recent victims have been mostly men ages 35 to 64 with many cases involving stimulants or other substances.
- Nonprofit and shelter partners such as UMOM, Keys to Change, and Justa Center are folded into operations, and Phoenix expanded smart water stations from three to 11 to make safe drinking water easier to find outdoors.