The Heat Wave That Killed More Than 700 People [P4TnC00Wc9d]
One of America’s deadliest natural disasters wasn’t a hurricane or a tornado—it was a week of extreme heat. During the 1995 Chicago heat wave, which struck from July 12 to July 16, temperatures exceeded 100°F (38°C), while the heat index climbed to well over 110°F (43°C) in some areas. Combined with high humidity and warm nights, the conditions became life-threatening, especially for the elderly and vulnerable. To help protect children from heat-related illness, some schools in Burbank, Illinois, lined students up outside and sprayed them with water to help cool them before they returned indoors. As the heat intensified, hospitals were overwhelmed, power systems were strained, and many residents—particularly older adults living alone without air conditioning—succumbed to heatstroke and dehydration. By the end of the disaster, more than 700 people had died, making the 1995 Chicago heat wave one of the deadliest heat waves in U.S. history. The tragedy prompted major changes in emergency planning. Cities across the United States introduced heat emergency response plans, expanded cooling centers, improved public warning systems, and conducted welfare checks on vulnerable residents during periods of extreme heat. Today, the 1995 Chicago heat wave remains a powerful reminder that extreme heat can be one of the deadliest natural hazards, even in modern cities. This content is for educational and historical purposes only.