A 61-year-old Mexican agricultural laborer, Avelino Vazquez Navarro, passed away last month in Washington state from heat-related complications. For twelve years, Vazquez Navarro sent money to his family in Nayarit, Mexico, while living in an airless mobile home in Pasco, Washington. To return his remains to his house, his family is now collecting donations. He died from heat stroke, with alcohol use being a contributing factor, according to Franklin County Coroner Curtis McGary.
Homeless persons who live outside are more likely to die from heat-related causes, but anybody without access to adequate indoor cooling, particularly the elderly, is in danger. Inequities in energy and air conditioning are emphasized by the fact that many victims are Black, Indigenous, or Latino. The National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association’s executive director, Mark Wolfe, stressed that air conditioning is an absolute must-have, not a luxury.
Because of their metal structure and lack of insulation, mobile homes, and old trailers are especially susceptible to severe heat. Such homes accounted for around 25% of the indoor heat-related fatalities in Maricopa County, Arizona. According to new laws, residents of Arizona may now legally install cooling apparatus in mobile home parks, such as window units and shade awnings.
Out of 645 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County last year, 156 happened indoors in places that weren’t cooled down. The majority of the time, the cooling units were either unplugged or not functioning, according to public health experts. Shirley Marie Kouplen was one of the victims; she passed away in her mobile home due to an unplugged extension cord. A temperature of 107.1 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded.
Since 2022, regulated utilities in Arizona are not allowed to turn off electricity during the summer. If debts are not settled, cutoffs may take place after certain dates.
Many low-income households still lack access to air conditioning, particularly in areas like Washington, although Arizona is one of 19 states with shut-off laws. Initiatives are underway to combat these disparities, such as collecting donations for air conditioning equipment and distributing portable cooling units to low-income and vulnerable populations.
But cooling costs are on the rise, making life even more difficult for people who are already strapped for cash.
