Statewide Heat Awareness Campaign launched to inform Hawai‘i residents and visitors

A new Heat Safety Awareness Campaign has been launched by state and local departments to address the health and well-being of Hawaiʻi’s residents and visitors during the hottest months of the year.

The initiative aims to dispel the misconception that Hawaiʻi is immune to heat-related health issues and to provide residents and visitors with the knowledge and resources they need to stay safe. The campaign consists of two main components, heat brochures and social media outreach that will be shared from now through September. 

Heat brochures will offer practical tips on staying cool, recognizing symptoms of heat-related illnesses, and emergency contact information specific to each county. These informational brochures will be widely distributed in public spaces, health centers, and community events across the state.

A social media campaign will leverage Instagram and Facebook to reach a broader audience. Each county and the Department of Health will share collaborative posts on topics including heat-related illnesses, tips for identifying heat exhaustion, and highlighting vulnerable groups that are more prone to heat risks.

“Hawaiʻi has some of the highest average annual relative humidity in the country,” said Ana Española, OED Sustainability coordinator. “When it is too humid, our bodies have a harder time cooling down, which can lead to heat-related illness.”

Visit www.heat.gov for more resources about heat illnesses, extreme heat, and how to prepare.