Planning Communications for High-Heat Days: What Agencies Can Share Now

1. Before the Heat Arrives
   Help residents prepare before temperatures become dangerous.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Extreme heat is expected this week. Stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and check on neighbors who may need assistance.
    

2. Heat Advisory
   Notify residents when hazardous conditions begin.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Heat Advisory in effect today. Drink water often, stay in air conditioning if possible, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
    

3. Cooling Centers Open
   Direct residents to available community resources.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Cooling centers are open today. Visit [WEBSITE] or call [PHONE] for locations and hours. Please check on vulnerable neighbors.
    

4. Outdoor Activity Reminder
   Encourage safe behavior during peak heat.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Temperatures are dangerous this afternoon. Avoid outdoor work from 12–6 PM if possible. Take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.
    

5. Check on Vulnerable Residents
   Promote community support.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Please check on older adults, neighbors living alone, and anyone without reliable cooling. A quick visit could save a life.
    

6. Never Leave Children or Pets in Vehicles
   Reinforce one of the most important seasonal reminders.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle—even for a minute. Vehicle temperatures can become deadly within seconds.
    

7. Power Outage During Extreme Heat
   Provide guidance if outages occur.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Power outage affecting parts of the community. Stay cool, avoid unnecessary travel, and monitor updates at [WEBSITE].
    

8. Heat Emergency
   Communicate escalating conditions clearly.
   
   SMS Template
   [AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Extreme heat emergency. Seek air conditioning immediately if you feel ill. Call 911 for heat stroke symptoms. More: [WEBSITE] 

Extreme heat affects your workforce, too.

Emergency managers often focus on protecting residents first, but internal notifications help protect the people responding to the incident. Public works crews, utilities, parks staff, law enforcement, EMS, and other field personnel may all require timely operational updates throughout a prolonged heat event.

Consider preparing internal messages for:

• Modified work schedules or staggered shifts  
• Mandatory hydration and rest breaks  
• Opening cooling locations for staff  
• Heat safety reminders for outdoor personnel  
• Staffing changes or emergency activations  

Example Internal SMS

[AGENCY NAME], [DATE]: Heat safety reminder: Take breaks every 30 minutes, hydrate frequently, and report signs of heat illness to your supervisor immediately.

The most effective emergency communications are prepared before they're needed. Building seasonal message templates ahead of time allows agencies to communicate faster, maintain consistent messaging, and focus on operational response when conditions change.

With CodeRED by Crisis24, agencies can target alerts to specific geographic areas, deliver messages across SMS, voice, email, mobile app, and IPAWS, and monitor delivery in real time – helping ensure critical information reaches the right people when every minute matters. 

Effective emergency communications require planning for every type of incident. Download our free emergency notification system guide for state and local agency leaders. 

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