Nashville chosen for state’s Beat the Heat program

Nashville has been chosen to take part in a state program to help manage high temperatures.

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced today that Nashville and Frankfort have been chosen to take part in the second round of awards for the Beat the Heat program.

In a statement released with the announcement, Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith said that the program has provided items such as air conditioning units and shade trees but it also provides strategies and raises awareness to help Hoosiers stay safe during the warmer months.

The Beat the Heat program aims to empower local governments to protect the health and safety of residents and pioneer strategies that can serve as models for other communities statewide.

The program is in partnership with Indiana University’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and Environmental Resilience Institute. Each participating community will be supported by a fellow from Indiana University to assist with workshops, assessments and project implementation.

The communities will receive help to identify funding opportunities and prepare grant applications to implement at least one heat management strategy.

Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the U.S..

More information about the program is available here: ocra.in.gov/cdbg/BeatTheHeat.