In southern Arizona, the shift into heat season is unmistakable. Mornings warm-up earlier, evenings cool down more slowly, and the desert sun begins its months‑long climb toward triple‑digit temperatures. For Pima County, this isn’t just a change in weather—it marks the start of one of our most challenging public‑health periods. This episode of Inside Pima County focuses on how we prepare for that challenge and how residents can protect themselves as the hottest months arrive.

Supervisor Rex Scott is joined by Dr. Theresa “Terry” Cullen, Director of the Pima County Health Department and a leader whose experience spans frontline medicine, national health‑informatics work, global health consulting, and nearly six years guiding one of the county’s largest and most complex departments. Her work is shaped not only by her professional background but by her personal connection to Pima County—her children, husband, and extended family all live here, giving her a deeply rooted commitment to community well‑being.

The Health Department oversees nine divisions that touch nearly every part of daily life: food safety inspections, clinical services, disease prevention, substance‑use response, and more. But one of its most important responsibilities during summer is serving as the convener of Pima County’s heat‑mitigation network. This network includes more than 80 organizations—nonprofits, local governments, universities, and community groups—working together to prevent heat‑related illness and deaths. Weekly meetings throughout the heat season allow partners to coordinate cooling centers, share data, identify gaps in service, and ensure that vulnerable residents are not left behind.

Dr. Cullen explains the risk factors that make some people more susceptible to heat illness: older adults living alone, people on certain medications, individuals with limited access to cooling, outdoor workers, and the unhoused population. Yet she also emphasizes that heat can affect anyone, even lifelong desert residents who think they “know” the climate. Understanding early signs of heat exhaustion, staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak hours, and checking on neighbors are among the simplest and most effective prevention steps.

Listeners will also learn where to find reliable information about heat advisories, cooling centers, and county resources, including PimaCounty.gov/heat and materials available through public libraries. The episode highlights the importance of community awareness, shared responsibility, and simple acts of care that can save lives.

This introduction sets the stage for a conversation about preparation, prevention, and the power of coordinated community action as Pima County enters another desert summer.