Heat waves continue to become more frequent and more extreme across the world, causing stress to the environment and to human health. The heat is also stressing helicopters, and missions to rescue those in need have begun to be called off because of it.
What's happening?
As reported by The Washington Post, extreme heat is impacting emergency helicopters, thereby affecting search-and-rescue missions for individuals in need of medical assistance.
These events in Western North America have continued to increase in the last decade as a symptom of our planet's overheating. When temperatures get too high, helicopters become at risk of malfunctioning.
Extreme heat causes helicopters' onboard systems to overheat and stop working. Heat also results in thinner air due to the decrease in density. This makes it more difficult for helicopter blades to "grab on," meaning flying and navigation can become more challenging, especially in rescue missions that require helicopters to maneuver around obstacles, per the Post.
"It's something that we're going to have to be more aware of now. … I see that things are warming up and I expect it just to get worse," lead pilot Douglas Evans told the Post.
Why is extreme heat so concerning?
Extreme heat is very dangerous to humans and wildlife alike. It can cause serious health conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be deadly if not immediately attended to.
The extreme heat wave in Western North America that has caused helicopter pilots to turn down missions is being compared to the 2021 extreme heat wave in the same area. In Western Canada, the 2021 heat event resulted in over 600 heat-related deaths, according to the Canadian government.
Extreme heat waves also increase the risk of wildfires, as the higher rate of moisture evaporation causes areas to become more dry and susceptible to fires, per the Environmental Defense Fund.
What's being done about extreme heat events?
Many things are being done to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat and adapt to the increasing number of heat-related illnesses. Hospitals in Phoenix are using ice-filled bags for heat stroke victims on their way to the hospital as a new tactic to combat the adverse impacts of heat.
Additionally, to increase awareness about the dangers of extreme heat, the National Weather Service has determined that a heat index of 103 is a critical, life-threatening threshold. The NWS also utilizes a HeatRisk index to provide early warning of dangerous heat levels.
A commenter on the Washington Post article made a good observation on the many cascading impacts of the warming planet: "The hotter it gets the more we will experience the consequences in ways we don't usually think about."
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