As record heat rises, many wonder how our desert community will fare.

The City of Palm Springs is taking proactive measures with its first Extreme Heat Summit taking place Friday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The event aims to educate government entities, stakeholders, business owners and residents alike on strategies to help communities prepare for hotter days ahead.

Organized by the city’s Department of Sustainability in partnership with the Office of Emergency Management, the summit features four primary sessions exploring the challenges we face: the human cost of extreme heat, where people go when systems fail, scaling heat resilience investments, and how to design cool cities and heat-safe places.

Experts will discuss climate resilience, strengthening critical infrastructure, public health, urban planning, emergency preparedness and community engagement. The lineup includes:

Naomi Soto, mayor, City of Palm Springs
Diane Morales, public policy lead, Blue Zones Project
Elizabeth Felter, climate planner, Environmental Science Associates
Ari Simon, founder, Inner and Outer Engagement
Shelley Jiang, associate principal, Climate Advisory Services, infrastructure company AECOM
Christian Rodriguez Ceja, community principal, Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI)
Ladd Keith, PhD, director, Heat Resilience Initiative, University of Arizona
Jenna LeComte-Hinley, PhD, chief executive officer, Health
Assessment and Research for Communities (HARC)
Anuj Desai, senior advisor, Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Southern California Edison

“I’m delighted that this conference is bringing together different perspectives in a solutions-oriented platform,” says Morales, the keynote speaker and a Coachella Valley native. She will address the importance of ensuring that underserved residents, who are often disproportionately impacted by extreme heat, are included in the conversation.

Bringing community and experts together will encourage collaboration to identify and create long-term solutions that can help the Coachella Valley become a more heat-resilient region.

Tickets are $25 and available on Eventbrite (search “heat Palm Springs”). The City of Palm Springs is also seeking volunteers. Those interested can contact Director of Sustainability Jasmine.Fields@palmspringsca.gov. For more information, visit engagepalmsprings.com.