Frontlines
Heat risk stacks on top of existing inequalities. When shade, cooling, paid breaks, and safe housing are unequal, the same heat wave becomes a very different reality.
Below are three short interviews (reported by news outlets) and four brief cases that show how heat intersects with labor, housing, and neighborhood design. Click the source links to read the full stories.
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“I get scared when the weather is really bad … who else is going to pay rent?” The piece captures riders describing dehydration, dizziness, and pressure from apps to keep accepting orders despite heat warnings.
After a day delivering in 90°F+, “Randy” describes overheating vans and pressure to meet quotas ahead of Prime Day.
Workers like Javier Torres and Ana Mejía describe dizziness and tremors during peak heat, with scarce shade, water, and rest breaks—amid efforts to curb local heat protections.
David Azevedo, 50, died from severe hyperthermia after collapsing on a construction site during a 2022 heatwave. The reporting reconstructs the day and questions delayed medical response and protections at the site.
After 2022 heatwaves, Amazon contractor drivers organized for safer conditions and cooling in vehicles, reflecting nationwide concerns about van temperatures and delivery quotas.
Florida passed a law blocking cities and counties from adopting heat safety standards for outdoor workers—despite rising days over 90°F and reports of heat illness among crews.
Researchers tracked core temperatures of U.S. farm and nursery workers; nearly half hit dangerous levels over 100.4°F during shifts—illustrating why paid rest, water, and shade are life-saving.