This heat wave represents a serious public health emergency that demands immediate government action. Cities are rightfully opening cooling centers and declaring heat emergencies to protect vulnerable populations. The fact that heat kills more people than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined shows why aggressive municipal responses are essential. Climate change is making these events more frequent and deadly.

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While the heat is certainly uncomfortable, the government response seems overblownexcessive for what is essentially normal summer weather arriving a bit early. CitiesOpening haveemergency dealtcooling withcenters hotand weatherdeclaring beforeheat without declaring emergencies. Thefor focustemperatures shouldthat beregularly onoccur personalevery responsibilitysummer -creates stayingunnecessary hydrated,panic usingand airwastes conditioning,taxpayer andresources takingthat common-sensecould precautionsbe ratherbetter thanallocated expanding government programselsewhere.