This paper examines the current state of disaster management for heat waves in the United States. The paper begins by providing the status of heat waves in the U. S. A. and the detrimental effects they can have on society, such as human and animal health concerns, damage to infrastructure, and strained power grids. The paper then provides a synopsis of the disaster management framework provided by the U. S. government. This entails a description of the five stages of disaster management: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. Next, the current public health measures taken to address extreme heat are organized within this framework, described, and assessed based on a review of existing literature. These public health measures include protection of the power grid, incorporating green and cool spaces into city design, cooling centers, and heat warning systems. The results of the literature review show that actions taken prior to an extreme heat event are more effective than actions taken in response to the event or during the recovery from it. Measures taken in the Protection and Mitigation stages have a more reliable and documentable benefit to human health than measures in the Response and Recovery stages. Additionally, these actions, such as safeguarding power grids and installing green infrastructure in urban environments, generally provide financial benefits that exceed their costs, making them good investments for both public and private entities. It is therefore recommended to focus programs and investment on measures in the Protection and Mitigation phases.
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