HARRISBURG, PA – Last month was the fifth-hottest July in Pennsylvania’s recorded history, according to climate scientists. Anthropogenic climate change is real and measurable — and it means thousands of people across the Commonwealth are struggling to keep cool as record heat lays claim to the region.
Pavlo Buryi, PhD, Associate Professor Economics at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU), spoke recently with Fox43 about this intense summer heat and what it means for area residents, their budgets and energy spending, and the added stress on the healthcare system.
“With people switching from gas to electric cars and buying more appliances, our outdated infrastructure may not be well suited to handle the additional pressure,” said Dr. Buryi. Additionally, he says the record-breaking temperatures have added “pressure on healthcare infrastructure,” such as hospitals with a limited number of beds and ambulances.
Data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed severe spikes in hospitalizations recently for heat-related illnesses. Pennsylvania joined Delaware; Maryland; Virginia; Washington, DC; and West Virginia in sending more than 900 people to the hospital per every 100,000 residents.
So, what can we do about it?
Infrastructure reinvestment should play a major role in improving quality of life for people struggling with signs of a warming planet. According to Dr. Buryi, part of the problem is a lack of long-term planning and coordination between the state and federal government. “One has to anticipate way ahead of time, instead of waiting until the system is stretched thin and breaks — and then we decide what to do.”
There is legislation on the table in Washington, DC — the Extreme Heat Emergency Act — that would classify extreme heat events as major disasters. The move would unlock federal dollars for use by states gripped by dangerous heatwaves. The future of this legislation is uncertain, but it is an encouraging sign that the issues of record-breaking heat and heat safety, which will only grow more pronounced as climate change continues, is receiving national attention.
You can watch the full interview with Dr. Buryi at Fox43.com or below.
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