Turning Up the Heat: Why Extreme Heat Might Get Disaster-Level Attention

The CBS News investigation published in July 2025 details how a five-day "heat dome" exposed nearly half the U.S. population to record-breaking temperatures, yet this deadly event wasn’t classified as a federal disaster. Despite extreme heat now causing more deaths in the U.S. than hurricanes, floods, or other weather events, it remains excluded from the Stafford Act—the federal framework that triggers FEMA disaster response and funding.

Lawmakers are pushing to change that. The Extreme Heat Emergency Act, introduced by Senators Jacky Rosen and Ruben Gallego, and Representative Robert Garcia, aims to formally classify extreme heat as a "major disaster" under the law. That designation would unlock federal resources to support communities grappling with lethal temperatures. Without it, even the most devastating heat waves leave cities and counties to fend for themselves, relying on smaller hazard-mitigation grants or overburdened local services.

The article underscores a major disconnect: extreme heat is invisible until it's deadly. Hurricanes topple buildings and floods wash out roads—but heat creeps in silently, making it harder to galvanize public or political urgency. This invisibility is what HeatSense is working to solve.

For athletes, parents, coaches, and sports organizations, the issue is personal. Record temperatures are colliding with summer training sessions, tournaments, and two-a-day practices. Turf fields can hit 200°F. Athletes wearing pads in direct sun may be absorbing lethal heat load without any external signs. And the tools we’ve used for decades—subjective observation, one-size-fits-all guidelines—are no longer enough.

HeatSense provides what policy doesn’t: real-time, individualized visibility. By monitoring core body temperature, skin temperature, and heart rate, HeatSense translates invisible risk into clear insights. When body heat rises faster than expected, or recovery stalls post-drill, the system triggers alerts so coaches can act before performance suffers—or worse.

If passed, the proposed legislation would help fund cooling centers, urban tree planting, and hydration resources. These are crucial investments in physical infrastructure. But physiological infrastructure matters too. HeatSense fills that gap by giving teams a direct window into how heat is impacting their athletes in the moment—not after symptoms surface.

Recognizing heat as a disaster isn’t just about federal funds. It’s about shifting how we think about readiness. It’s about catching risk early, tailoring load, and training smarter. HeatSense doesn’t just monitor—it transforms ambient heat into usable, actionable intelligence.

Extreme heat is no longer an outlier. It’s the new normal. With legislation pending and temperatures rising, there’s never been a more urgent moment to make the invisible visible.

To explore how HeatSense supports performance readiness in extreme environments, visit HeatSense.com.