During the summer of 2022, Europe faced an unprecedented, record-breaking heat wave. The high temperatures, coupled with droughts and forest fires, led to nearly 62,000 deaths amongst predominately vulnerable populations. Despite a similar heatwave two decades prior, European governments were unprepared to respond to the event effectively.
McNeill discusses the epidemiological aspects of the heat wave, including how the high temperatures and risk of heat-related illnesses were measured and analyzed. In this case study, McNeill highlights how Europe had an inadequate disaster response plan to protect the public from the risks associated with heat waves and underscores the necessity of a robust preparedness system to mitigate such extreme morbidity and mortality rates in the future.