The City of Fort Wayne’s Community Development Division has been selected to lead a campaign mapping heat and air quality in Fort Wayne. The division will work with community scientists to give residents a stronger voice in the planning and implementation of climate change-preparedness strategies. Fort Wayne and Bloomington are two of 14 U.S. communities selected to participate in the 2024 NOAA Urban Heat Island (UHI) mapping campaign.
This summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA), in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and community scientists will map the hottest neighborhoods in 14 U.S. communities and 4 international cities. Identifying these areas, called urban heat islands, helps communities take action to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat and provides cooling relief for those living in the hottest areas.
According to the CDC, people with chronic medical conditions are much more vulnerable to extreme heat, particularly, those with heart disease, mental illness, poor blood circulation, and obesity.
Allen County Resident Health Statistics for Adults:
10% have Diabetes,
11% have Asthma,
22.6% have been diagnosed with depression,
36.4% are obese,
In order to understand how heat and air quality are impacting our community on a hyperlocal level, we will be planning routes throughout the majority of Fort Wayne, focusing on residential and mixed-use areas. On our selected campaign day, a team of citizen scientist volunteers will drive with sensors attached to their cars on these pre-established routes at three different points in the day to see how temperature and air quality changes in each area.
Heat research can identify where we need to prioritize interventions to reduce temperature, such as tree planting, increased cooling centers, and outreach with health tips. Because we are also mapping air quality, we will be able to establish a baseline of where Fort Wayne air quality is and see if any interventions/additional education will be needed.
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| Phone | 260-427-8311 |
|---|---|
| In writing | Citizens Square, 200 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne IN 46802 |
