Reflections on the City of LA’s Heat Awareness Campaign- 2023
At the end of the 2023 Calendar year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the Heat Awareness and Engagement projects that we launched this year. Our work involves supporting the creation of an equitable climate and extreme heat policy for Angelenos, but here I wish to highlight the launching of the City of LA’s Heat Relief 4 LA (Public Health and Safety) Campaign, and how its success exceeded my expectations.
This past 2023 Heat Season, we shared our heat safety awareness resources on over 300 bus shelters and 2,400 buses to improve heat resilience and safety since our heat waves are more dangerous than ever before. We also had printed posters and fact sheets distributed and available in over 8 languages.
Our city’s transit riders have increased post-pandemic, thus making this multifaceted communication approach even more impactful. By sharing clear, actionable solutions, such as how to stay heat-safe or how to find our Cooling Centers, through the use of public art and cultural competency, as people wait on benches and bus shelters, we are changing the conversation on heat.
Our heat awareness publicity also expanded to many modes of media and was featured over 80 times in local and national media sources. The opportunity to increase the impact of our campaign will expand as Mayor Bass has ushered in over $32 Million for bus shelters that will go a long way to protect bus riders from direct heat, and METRO is investing another $50 Million across Los Angeles County! These collective efforts and the advocacy of so many nonprofit organizations are making real strides to protect Angelenos from dangerous heat exposure and create a more multi-modal Los Angeles.
I am especially grateful to my Climate Emergency Mobilization Office team, the Board of Public Works, and colleagues for bringing this powerful campaign to life, special thanks to the Streets LA STAP team as well. Make sure to follow us on social media because we’ll be sharing more on the campaign in the coming months, expanding it in really exciting and impactful ways.
I also wish to share my gratitude with the many community leaders and nonprofits, various departments, and coalitions who supported the Social Media and Materials distribution to so many Angelenos in 8 different languages. A special thank you to the Office of Mayor Karen Bass and the State of California’s Cal OES for funding the placement of the PSAs. Next on the horizon is the completion of our Heat Action and Resilience Plan and the integration of the community engagement work we have done with so many to align with the needs of our most impacted communities. It takes a village!
You can learn more about the campaign here www.climater4la.org and also here: https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/environment/2023/05/24/los-angeles-launches-heat-relief-4-la-campaign
