Climate – NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters

July 21, 2025August 11, 2025

Devastating Texas Floods Highlight Emergency Response Failures

A devastating flash flood hit Central Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 135 people, including nearly 40 children. The majority of the destruction is in Kerr County, located within the Texas Hill Country — an area home to multiple summer camps. Many of the dead include young campers and staff members from Camp Mystic. In response to the flooding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have activated disaster response and recovery resources, but many feel that the state did not do enough to prepare for a disaster of this magnitude.

July 9, 2025July 9, 2025

Grace Gu’s Disaster Plan: Thailand Tsunami Emergency Relief and Management

A man walks through debris as a result of a tsunami in Thailand.

Introduction: Historically, Thailand has been impacted by severe tsunamis, earthquakes, and natural disasters. Although the government of Thailand has implemented methods like seismic networks and water-based buoys (DART system) to detect tsunamis, there is a need for improved response measures, as they concern individual and community response measures.

July 1, 2025July 1, 2025

June East Coast Heat Wave Forewarns of Extreme Summer Temperatures

During the last days of June, much of the East Coast experienced an extreme heatwave, bringing some of the highest temperatures felt in a decade. Over 150 million people were under heat warnings, including those in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, where temperatures reached over 100 degrees. The oppressive high temperatures can cause a dangerous heat dome, which occurs when a large area of high pressure builds over a region for several days. This heatwave is expected to be one of many facing much of the U.S. this summer, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

June 23, 2025June 23, 2025

Sierra Nasir’s Case Study on the Hollywood Hills Rehabilitation Center

In 2017, 12 residents at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Florida died from heat-related causes following a power outage caused by Hurricane Irma.

June 11, 2025June 11, 2025

Canadian Wildfires Cause Dangerous Air Quality in the U.S.

As early summer wildfires break out in Western Canada, the United States is facing poor air quality, leading the National Weather Service to issue alerts in several regions. On June 4, a concentrated cloud of smoke hit Iowa and Illinois, extending into Wisconsin. Air quality alerts were issued in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut, warning residents that air quality levels have reached hazardous levels.

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025

Maya McClatchy, Kate Dewey, and Howard Glassman’s Emergency Disaster Plan: Wildfires in Malibu

Introduction: The city of Malibu has a long and calamitous history of wildfires. Malibu’s location on the southern coast of California is what has made it a beloved destination, but it also leaves the city at constant risk of wildfires. The ecological makeup of the region is defined by dry plant matter that dries, frequent droughts, and the Santa Ana winds. In combination with increasing urbanization, these factors put the population at constant and increasing risk from wildfires. This plan is intended to support a more coordinated response between local, county, and state level agencies in the event of future wildfires, and to define strategies to more efficiently deploy emergency resources and protect the lives and property in Malibu.

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025

Kimberly Tang, Mark Alicea, Leonela Tutasig’s Emergency Disaster Plan: Wildfires in Los Angeles

Introduction: Wildfires are a persistent and growing threat in California. With climate change, prolonged drought, and expanding urban development in fire-prone areas, wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Los Angeles is vulnerable to wildfires due to its proximity to fire-prone landscapes, dense vegetation, and dry, wind-driven conditions. It is crucial for communities to have structured prevention, response, and evacuation plans in place. Given the increasing wildfire risks, it is essential to have a structured response plan that strengthens mitigation strategies, streamlines evacuation efficiency, and enhances overall community resilience through coordinated efforts with local, state, and federal agencies.

March 17, 2025March 17, 2025

UNICEF Highlights Global Challenges Facing Children in 2025

In a new report, Prospects for Children 2025: Building Resilient Systems for Children’s Futures, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified the main worldwide trends that will affect children’s lives over the next year and beyond: conflict, economic instability, and climate change.

March 7, 2025March 7, 2025

Matthew Emer’s Case Study on the 2015-16 Zika Virus Epidemic

Introduction: The 2015-16 Zika Virus Epidemic resulted in an estimated 18 deaths, 711,381 infections, and over 3,000 cases of infant microcephaly. It led to a new understanding of the Zika virus’s severity, the development of new rapid response systems for emerging infectious diseases, and improved vector control strategies.¹ The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the disaster as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on February 1, 2016, and declared it over on November 18 of the same year.

March 4, 2025March 4, 2025

U.S.’s WHO Withdrawal Jeopardizes 2025 PAHO Climate Change Agenda

In October 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) approved “The Policy to Strengthen Equity-Oriented Health Sector Action on Climate Change and Health.” The agenda was finalized at the 61st Directing Council Conference, which met in Washington, DC. The United State’s subsequent withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) threatens PAHO’s financial ability to implement its new climate policy.