Health Impacts of Extreme Weather Events
As communities across the United States are faced with extreme weather events, local health departments are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent, and respond to the health impacts from these events. NACCHO aims to provide resources to ensure local health departments are equipped to take on this role, while elevating best practices and success stories at the local level.
NACCHO and the Health Group of CMEC (University of Vermont, University of Washington, University of Nebraska) are excited to present an interactive in-person preconference workshop on July 14, 2026, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY as part of the NACCHO360 Annual Conference. The workshop is designed to help local health departments identify opportunities to standardize climate and health risk assessments while respecting each community’s unique context and priorities.
Learn more and register your interest to attend the workshop.
Success stories:
- Highlight local efforts to prepare for and build resiliency to the health impacts of extreme weather events;
- Support new and ongoing initiatives in other local health departments;
- Identify best practices;
- Provide real-world case studies; and
- Highlight departments actively engaged in similar efforts.
NACCHO invites our members to submit stories that highlight and showcase such work. Click on a state below to see local adaptation initiatives undertaken by local health departments.
Tennessee
Tennessee Public Health Association, Hamilton County Public Health
Completion Year: 2023
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Public Health Association |
Completion Year: 2024 Learn more |
| Tennessee Public Health Association, Hamilton County Public Health |
Completion Year: 2023
|
| The Tennessee Public Health Association |
Completion year: 2025 |
This four-hour, on-demand training by ecoAmerica and NACCHO will strengthen your knowledge about the health impacts of extreme weather events, get you started on solutions, and learn how to speak and advocate on the issue with confidence and success. The training is FREE and available alongside resources and other tools relevant to local health departments.
NACCHO members, take the training HERE.
Don't see a resource? Email [email protected] and we can help. For additional resources, check out NACCHO's Toolbox.
The NACCHO Extreme Weather Workgroup is committed to providing leadership and resources to support local health department efforts to combat the health impacts of extreme weather events. The workgroup is comprised of local health officials, environmental health professionals, environmental health directors, and subject matter experts who are interested in enhancing adaptation and mitigation policies and practices.
The workgroup holds monthly/bi-monthly conference calls, and work in between meetings. In addition, the workgroup reviews documents and participates in judging model practice applications throughout the year. Appointment to the workgroup is for a two-year term with an option for reappointment to a second two-year term. Message [email protected] for more information.
Below are some of the most recent webinars hosted by NACCHO related to the health impacts of extreme weather events.
Test a New Virtual Tool: Plan and Implement Protective Extreme Heat Interventions (July 2025)
NACCHO and the University of Washington REACH Center hosted a webinar about CHaRT, a tool to reduce health risks associated with extreme heat. CHaRT can be used by local health departments to assess and plan for extreme heat events in the regions they serve. CHaRT is an online tool that provides data on heat-health risks at a local scale for both historical and future conditions. It can provide tailored risk reduction activities based on local factors, and information about the efficacy, timing and cost of each intervention. This webinar discussed an opportunity for health departments to participate in a research trial on CHaRT. The research trial will help UW researchers learn more about the tool’s effectiveness in helping local health departments prepare for heat.
- Webinar recording
- Webinar slides
- Webinar FAQ from audience
- Learn more about the research on the REACH Center’s website here.
- Local health departments interested in participating in the trial can express interest here.
Get to Know Your NACCHO Ambassador Community (October 2023)
Local health departments across the country met to discuss their work and learn about new tools and resources to fight the health impacts of extreme weather events.
- Catch up with the recording.
- Download the slide deck shared by presenters.
- Explore resources shared during the meeting.
NACCHO & CDC Food Safety Sharing Session Recap (April 2022)
The webinar provided examples of the science behind the health impacts of extreme weather events, its impact on the environment and our health, and what this means for food safety and food security. The sharing session also explained some of the recent expansion of work at the federal level and helped provide context on how current food safety issues experienced at the local level are linked to the health impacts of extreme weather events.
- Listen to the webinar recording.
- View or download the webinar slides from:
Western Wildfires – Keeping Communities from Polluted Air (May 2018)
See the role that local health departments play in preparing for and responding to wildfires and the health impacts of wildfire smoke.
NACCHO's "Extreme Weather and Health Community of Practice" provides a space for individuals who are interested in, or work with, resilience and mitigation. This virtual community can be used to share information, best practices, and resources relevant to the health impacts of extreme weather events and allow for participants to virtually network with others who work in this area of public health. Go to https://virtualcommunities.naccho.org/communities/allcommunities and enter the CoP title to search and join.
Have questions about this webpage? Contact us at [email protected].