Containers that once created a barrier between Arizona and Mexico have been modernized to alleviate the sweltering heat.
A total of 18 solar-powered refrigeration containers are being deployed across the state, with two already open in Phoenix and more opening in the coming weeks as part of Arizona’s Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan.
Chaz Glendenning said he was walking near the state capitol when he saw a sign for the cooling bin and dropped in to take a break from the scorching sun.
“Outside, (you) will burn in a matter of minutes, and you come in here and it’s nice and cool,” Glendenning said.
Glendenning lives in a shelter. She said she recently ended up in the hospital for five days for dehydration, adding that the weather is already unbearable.
On June 6, Phoenix hit a record-breaking 113 degrees, and set another record the next morning with a low of 87 degrees. The previous record low of 85 degrees was set in 1977.
Gov. Katie Hobb’s office confirmed that the reused containers are the same ones former Gov. Doug Ducey used to create a barrier between Arizona and Mexico. The state sold 444 containers for $807,543 and currently has another 1,600 shipping containers available. It is unclear how many of the containers sold came from the makeshift border wall.
Two mobile refrigeration units have been installed in Phoenix, six will go to the Department of Corrections and 10 units will go to local jurisdictions, including the Tohono O’odham Nation, Gila County, Tucson and Pinal County.
“Just seeing ingenuity come to life is really fantastic,” said Arene Rushdan, director of the Community Resilience Program at Arizona Faith Network.
Arizona Faith Network is overseeing the two units in Phoenix. Some have called reused refrigeration containers “refrigerants.”
The units are equipped with a refrigerator to keep water bottles, snacks, donated items and naloxone cold in case of an overdose. There is also a security guard on site for added security and there are several lockers available for your use.
The cooling shelters have a capacity for 15 people. Rushdan said. If they fill up, they will have to set limits on how long people can stay inside.
The innovative cooling units were implemented after a record-breaking summer in 2023 that swept the Grand Canyon State. On May 3, during a press conference, state officials announced that the heat claimed 987 lives last year. Emergency rooms across the state logged 4,000 heat-related visits, and cooling centers logged more than 26,000 visits last year statewide, according to Arizona’s Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan.
This month, Valleywise Health reported a dramatic increase in heat-related injuries. Between June, July and August 2023, 136 patients were admitted with severe burns and 14 patients died from their injuries. In 2022, 85 people were admitted for heat-related burns and seven of the patients died from their injuries.
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“When it’s 110, 115,120 degrees in direct sunlight, pavement can reach temperatures of 160, 170, even 180 degrees, which is pretty close to the boiling point of water,” said Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Center. of Arizona Burns. at Valleywise Health he said.
He predicts the number of heat-related injuries will be even worse this summer.
According to the National Weather Service, excessive heat is the leading cause of climate-related deaths in the United States, and scientists predict that climate change will only continue to fuel higher temperatures.
This week Accuweather is tracking the first widespread heat wave to blanket the Midwest and Northeast, and they predict 135 million people will face temperatures of 90 degrees or higher. High temperatures are expected to increase this weekend in the Midwest.
As the climate changes, Rushdan hopes Phoenix can help lead the way.
“I hope they can see Arizona as a pilot program, and as something innovative, that they are doing this cooling right,” Rushdan said.
Glendenning took a sip from a bottle of water before stepping out into the warmth.
“I’m very grateful for this and I’m sure they will save many lives,” Glendenning said.
This year alone, Maricopa County, Arizona’s most populous county, has recorded five heat-related deaths and 67 remain under investigation.
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