Heat Is a Mass Casualty Event | Spokane News

Spokane News Today | 2 Min | The Daily News Now! · Jul 19, 2026 · 1m

Extreme heat is killing people and overwhelming hospitals — not with sirens or smoke, but with silent, creeping danger. A trauma surgeon in Baltimore witnessed a death simply because the air was too hot, highlighting how deadly heat can be. Unlike hurricanes or shootings, heat builds up slowly, catching hospitals off guard. While we have surge plans for sudden disasters, we’re only activating them after the heat has already flooded ERs with patients. Meteorologists can predict dangerous heat days in advance — we just need to act on it. Hospitals already know how to prepare: bring in staff…