The City of Los Angeles has hired its first ever Chief Heat Officer ahead of what is likely to be a record-breaking summer.
Marta Segura will lead efforts to respond to extreme heat events and will work in coordination with StreetsLA, the Department of Water and Power, and other agencies. Her first priority, according to a news release, is to address heat-related deaths and hospitalizations, which disproportionately affect low-income communities. She will also prepare a Heat Action Plan, including a warning system, along with the Departments of Planning, Emergency Management, Recreation and Parks, and Building and Safety .
Segura most recently served as LA’s Director of Climate Emergency Mobilization. She is a veteran of the nonprofit sector and a former City Planning Commissioner appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Management and Policy from UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Public Health from UCLA.
The creation of a Chief Heat Officer position was first proposed by City Councilman Paul Krekorian. The cities of Phoenix and Miami have similar positions already. Segura is the first Latina to serve in a senior heat officer role.
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