Special to IFN
Gov. Josh Stein has proclaimed May 18-22 as North Carolina Heat Safety Week to raise awareness about the dangers that high temperatures pose to people’s health. The proclamation also brings attention to state programs that support North Carolina’s cities, towns, and counties in keeping residents and visitors safe from extreme heat.
North Carolina’s heat season runs from May 1 to September 30 each year.
“Being resilient to extreme heat means understanding how it can affect you and your community,” said Stein. “All North Carolinians can take actions to protect themselves and their families, employers can protect their workers, and local governments can protect their residents. Our state agencies and local governments are working hard to help keep people cool and safe.”
In 2025, there were more than 5,700 heat-related visits to North Carolina emergency departments. Last July marked North Carolina’s second-warmest July on record. While heat-related illnesses can affect anyone regardless of age or physical condition, outdoor workers, individuals living outside, infants and children, older adults, pregnant people, athletes, low-income individuals, and people with underlying health conditions are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing adverse health effects.
“As our summer days and nights stay warmer for longer, it’s critical that all North Carolinians learn about the symptoms of heat illness and the steps to take to cool down,” said NC Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson. “DEQ’s State Resilience Office is working closely with local governments to help them identify strategies to help manage extreme heat.”
On May 11, the State Resilience Office (SRO), NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the National Weather Service and the North Carolina State Climate Office hosted the state’s first Heat Season Kick-off briefing. The briefing gave a forecast for the 2026 heat season, an overview of larger climate patterns of extreme heat in North Carolina, a tutorial on recognizing the signs and symptoms of heat illness and an introduction to the tools and resources that are available to support North Carolina’s local governments and residents.
The SRO with supports local governments in North Carolina to develop heat action plans to respond to extreme heat by activating services like cooling centers during hot days. In 2024, the SRO launched the Heat Action Plan Toolkit in partnership with NCDHHS, North Carolina State Climate Office, and Duke University Heat Policy Innovation Hub. The toolkit includes a template for creating a heat action plan, public outreach resources, checklists, and protocols that can be customized in advance of and during heat wave events. Since 2024, the SRO and North Carolina State Climate Office have partnered to host the Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort to support North Carolina local governments in the process of developing heat action plans for their jurisdictions. So far, 18 local governments have completed the program. In addition, the NC Resilience Exchange website provides a complete collection of resources to help local and state leaders easily find information and data to support resilience planning.
“As we see the number of heat-related emergency department visits continue to increase, it is important that you and your loved ones stay weather-aware as the temperatures rise,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We encourage everyone to sign up for the heat health alerts, know the symptoms of heat-related illness and protect your health this summer.”
Heat-related illness and death are largely preventable. Recognizing the symptoms of heat illness is key to preventing serious complications, including death. Some signs and symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, racing or weak pulse, dizziness, headache, fainting, and nausea or vomiting. Awareness of extreme heat events can help people take the necessary steps to keep themselves safe.
In addition to tracking heat-related illness statewide, NCDHHS offers the NC Heat Health Alert System, a free email service to alert North Carolinians when dangerous heat is in the forecast. During the heat season, NCDHHS will send email alerts when the daily maximum heat index is expected to reach dangerous levels. Users can subscribe to receive notifications for the counties where they live, work and play.
Additionally, NCDHHS Operation Fan Heat Relief is underway now through Oct. 31, 2026. North Carolinians can contact their local aging agency to see if they qualify for a free fan for the hot summer months.