De-escalation basics

Heat, hunger, fear, and exhaustion shorten everyone's fuse. Most conflicts can be cooled down if one person stays calm.

Do

  • Keep your voice low and slow.
  • Give space: stay at least two arm's lengths away.
  • Keep your hands visible and relaxed.
  • Listen, and repeat back what you hear: "So you're worried there won't be enough water."
  • Offer choices: "Would it help if we… or…?"
  • Look for a way for everyone to save face.

Don't

  • Argue, lecture, or try to "win."
  • Make threats or ultimatums.
  • Point, stand over someone, or block their exit.
  • Mock, dismiss, or laugh at their fear.
  • Touch someone who is agitated.
  • Stay if it's turning violent. Leave and call 911.

Heat can look like hostility. Confusion, irritability, and aggression can be signs of heat illness, dehydration, or a medical problem. If someone outdoors in the heat seems unusually agitated or confused, offer water and shade, and call 911 if they get worse.

Protecting yourself without escalating

  • Awareness first: notice exits, people, and changes in mood around you. Leaving early is the best defense.
  • Walk away from bait. Insults and provocations cost you nothing if you don't respond.
  • Don't flash supplies or cash. Share quietly and through organized channels.
  • Travel in pairs or groups during tense times, and let someone know your plans.
  • Know the law. Understand Arizona's laws on self-defense and on carrying any item you choose to carry, and remember that using force has serious legal and personal consequences. De-escalation and leaving are almost always the better options.
  • Document, don't confront. If you witness a crime, get to safety, then report what you saw to police.

Checking on neighbors

Nearly half of indoor heat deaths in Maricopa County in 2025 were discovered during a welfare check (MCDPH). Regular check-ins can catch problems in time.

  1. Introduce yourself now, before an emergency. A simple note with your name and number goes a long way.
  2. Create a block contact list (with permission) and a group text.
  3. Agree on signals, for example "blinds open by 9 a.m. means I'm OK."
  4. During heat waves or outages, check on older adults, people living alone, and anyone with medical needs at least twice a day.
  5. Ask specific questions: "Is your AC running? Do you have water? Are your medicines OK?"
  6. If you can't reach someone and you're worried, call 911 and ask for a welfare check.

Mutual aid: neighbors helping neighbors

Share skills

Nurses, electricians, mechanics, cooks, translators: knowing who's on your block multiplies everyone's resilience.

Share stuff

Generators, power stations, coolers, tools, and vehicles. Set up a simple sign-up sheet or group chat.

Share cool space

If you have power or AC and a neighbor doesn't, opening your home for a few hours can save a life.

Want to help more broadly? Volunteer with established groups so your effort goes where it's needed: American Red Cross Arizona, local food banks, or heat relief donation sites listed on the Heat Relief Network. You can also take a free CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training.

Mental health during hard times

You don't have to be in crisis to reach out. Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night. Free and confidential. More at 988lifeline.org.

  • Limit doomscrolling. Check trusted sources at set times, then step away.
  • Keep routines: sleep, meals, movement in the cool hours, and time with people you trust.
  • Heat affects mood and sleep. Keep your sleeping space as cool as you can, and be patient with yourself and others.
  • Talk with kids in simple, honest terms, and give them a job in the family plan. It helps them feel in control.
  • Watch for warning signs in yourself and others: withdrawing, hopelessness, heavy drinking or drug use, or talk of self-harm. Reach out, and call 988 together if needed.