As extreme heat continues to grip large parts of the country, cities like Phoenix are turning to an unlikely -- and remarkably effective -- lifesaving tool: bags of ice. Ben Tracy reports for Climate Central.

Phoenix

Firefighters in Phoenix, Arizona, are using a straightforward but effective method to treat heatstroke as temperatures soar across the United States. The protocol involves placing overheated individuals into large bags filled with ice water, significantly reducing their core body temperature before they reach the hospital. This cold water immersion technique, originally used by the military, is now standard practice in Phoenix, where heat waves have become more intense and frequent due to climate change.

Medical professionals report that this method cools patients three to five times faster than previous treatments, such as ice packs and cold IV fluids, and is critical in preventing brain damage and organ failure. The city has also started stockpiling ice at popular outdoor locations to help hikers and others at risk. The adoption of this protocol is credited with reducing mortality rates from heatstroke, offering a practical solution as dangerous heat events increase nationwide.

Firefighters turn to low-tech solution to battle deadly heatstroke

Portions of 30 states today are under heat advisories with temperatures nearing triple digits according to the National Weather Service. Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related threat in the United States. In tonight's In Depth, Ben Tracy with our partners at Climate Central reports one city is turning to an unlikely lifesaver. What are we heading to right now? So right now we're going to a 50s female outside of a dollar store. Phoenix firefighter Colin Kennedy always knows one number. It's 105, 106 degrees. The pavement is hot. They find a woman having a stroke on a hot sidewalk. If her temperature hit 104 degrees, they would put her inside one of these blue bags and fill it with ice water. Firefighters demonstrated what is now their standard heat stroke protocol to quickly cool a person down on the way to the ER. We have a bag and we have ice and we're saving lives with it. Captain Dave Kirk says cold water immersion began with the military. With climate change driving longer, hotter heat waves, Phoenix faces 39 more hot summer days compared to 1970. And Climate Central found that dangerous multi-day heat streaks are increasing nationwide. Old ways of treating heat stroke no longer cut it. Putting ice packs around the neck area, the groin area and then giving cold IV fluids. How much more effective is this approach of putting somebody in this bag of ice? It's night and day. It can cool patients up to three to five times faster, critical to avoiding brain damage and organ failure. Here in America's hottest city, every fire station now has something you'd find at a gas station. And this bag is going to come out and it's going to come with us on the call. So right now we've been dispatched to a person down at a bus stop, unconscious person. In a trial last year, they used the ice bags more than 300 times. This summer, Phoenix is now stockpiling ice at popular trailheads to cool overheated hikers like this one on the spot. We're seeing people go from 108, 109, 110 core body temperature to 101 or 100 degrees even by the time they arrive at the hospital. At this Phoenix hospital, Dr. Jeff Komp has been training his team on the protocol for a few years. Why is putting somebody basically in ice water more effective? Because it's fast. The thermal conductivity of water is so much faster than air. He says cooling patients before the ER is a game changer. If we're able to decrease the amount of time that the patient is impacted by that higher temperature, it's going to be better. By doing this, we're decreasing mortality. We're saving people's lives. A new weapon in the cold war on heat. For Climate Central, I'm Ben Tracy in Phoenix.

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Canberra

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Washington

Global Tariffs

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Birmingham

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Moscow

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Zaporizhzhia

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Bangkok

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Kuala Lumpur

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Athens

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Breakdown