Climate and Health: Resources for Health Professionals

• Wisconsin Climate and Health Program, P-00709A (PDF)
  This fact sheet explains who we are and what we do. It also highlights a few of our projects.
• The Climate and Health Connection, P-00797B (PDF)
  This fact sheet explains why climate can cause health problems and how some people are more likely to be hurt by extreme weather.
• Understanding the Link Between Climate and Health, P-00709 (PDF)
  This fact sheet explains how climate can impact health, such as through precipitation changes, heat extremes, and drought.
• Wisconsin Climate and Health Adaptation Plan, P-01447 (PDF)
  This plan describes strategies to assist state and local agencies in adapting to a changing climate.

Extreme weather toolkits for health professionals

We created toolkits to help local governments, local health departments, and citizens in Wisconsin preparing for and responding to different weather-related emergencies. We also created one-page fact sheets to accompany each toolkit, which are intended for a general audience. These toolkits and fact sheets include background information, practical response strategies, and communication tools (such as media releases, talking points, definitions, and useful reference materials).

Seasonal health hazard dashboards

Monitoring data on seasonal injuries and illnesses can help health care and public health experts identify trends early and and work with partners to prevent them.

• The Summer Health Hazards Dashboard shows near real-time data from emergency department (ED) visits for heat illnesses, boating injuries, drownings, and respiratory illnesses from air pollution in Wisconsin from May through October.
• The Winter Health Hazards Dashboard shows near real-time data from emergency department (ED) visits for heat illnesses, boating injuries, drownings, and asthma, all-terrain vehicle-related (ATV) injury, carbon monoxide exposure, cold exposure, falls due to ice or snow, motor vehicle traffic injury, and snowmobile-related injury from November through April.

Flood tools

• Risk Assessment Flood Tool (RAFT)– The RAFT map tool can help local, regional, and state agencies prepare for and respond to floods and manage public health and safety risks. RAFT integrates 32 flood-related spatial data layers in one customizable ArcGIS map, including:
  • 32 data layers from 12 state and federal agencies.
  • FEMA flood hazard layer view in relation to health care locations.
  • Social vulnerability data by census tract.
  • LIVE precipitation data, 72-hour precipitation forecast, flood advisory feeds, and river flood level status.
• Flood Resilience Scorecard (FRS)– The Wisconsin Climate and Health Program and the University of Wisconsin (UW) Sea Grant created the Flood Resilience Scorecard (FRS), an online flood planning checklist that helps local governments and communities:
  • Assess past, current, and projected flood impacts holistically.
  • Identify ways to improve their flood-readiness with customized recommendations and links to funding opportunities and technical assistance resources.
  • Complete the FRS process quickly with compiled data needed to fill out the checklist.

Wisconsin heat vulnerability indices

• Wisconsin Heat Vulnerability Index - We conducted a geospatial analysis of heat-related morbidity and mortality of Wisconsin and the Greater Milwaukee urban area, with assistance from the DHS Bureau of Information Technology Services staff. This analysis resulted in a heat vulnerability index (HVI) based on existing population and census data, GIS environmental data layers, climate and weather data, and disease rates to identify areas of greatest risk for negative health impacts due to extreme heat. Identified high-risk neighborhoods and populations will receive targeted messaging related to heat events and additional resources during extreme heat events. Complete Report, P-00882 (PDF)

Partner collaborative takes action on climate and health

Climate change is not just a future problem for our kids and grandkids. It’s here, it’s affecting the health of Wisconsinites now, and some of us are impacted more than others. To tackle the climate and public health problem, we need to talk about solutions that safeguard everyone’s health and address climate hazards unique to every community.

To that end, the Climate and Health Program teamed up with Wisconsin Climate and Health Action Together or CHAT, a group of health and climate partners aiming to expand the conversation on health impacts from a changing climate and potential solutions. As we experience more weather extremes and intense natural disasters, we want everyone in the state to know what the risks are and what they can do to stay safe. Our goal is not only to protect the health of all Wisconsinites, but also our state’s special places and outdoor traditions, and our economy.

CHAT launched on Earth Day 2025 (April 22) to boost climate and health knowledge and encourage people to make simple changes that benefit public health and our climate. To find out how you can be part of CHAT’s local climate and health campaigns, visit CHAT's website.

• After the Flood: Comparing Health Impacts Across Two Major Wisconsin Flood Events (PDF)
  After many years of significant flooding, DHS has started monitoring the health impacts of flooding. This report highlights and compares health impacts between the 2018 and 2025 flooding events, while identifying takeaways and strategies for local public health.
• Extreme Cold in Wisconsin: Trends, Surveillance, and Prevention, P-02577 (PDF)
  This four-page brief covers information on cold-related illness trends, real-time surveillance, and prevention of cold-related illnesses in Wisconsin.
• Lyme Disease Trends in Wisconsin, P-01295 (PDF)
  This four-page brief covers Lyme disease incidence and spread in Wisconsin, Wisconsin's tick surveillance efforts, and strategies for people to prevent Lyme disease.
• Heat Stress in Wisconsin: Resources and Opportunities for Action, P-01071 (PDF)
  This four-page brief covers temperature trends and health effects, risk factors, and strategies for preventing heat-related sickness.

Fact sheets

• Read the Air We Breathe (PDF) fact sheet to learn how a changing climate can affect air quality and the health of people who breathe it.
• Use the Extreme Rainfall and Drought (PDF) fact sheet to explain how both too much and too little water can harm health.
• See the Insects and Ticks (PDF) fact sheet for how a changing climate can affect the spread of diseases carried by insects and ticks.
• Review the WI DHS Lyme Disease Risk in Wisconsin, P-01752 (PDF) fact sheet for information on Lyme disease risk across the state.
• Check the WI DHS Tickborne Disease Risk in Wisconsin, P-01751 (PDF) fact sheet for a broader look at the illnesses ticks can spread in Wisconsin.
• Read the Warmer Water and Flooding Increase the Risk of Illness and Injury (PDF) fact sheet to see how warmer water and floods can lead to more sickness and injuries.

Videos

• Watch the WI DHS Climate and Health Videos to learn how climate change, heat, air quality and flooding all impact our health.
• Watch Lyme Disease Data and Resources for Health Departments for Lyme disease data and tools aimed at health department staff.
• Watch Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease to give people practical steps for avoiding Lyme disease.
• Watch When the Clouds Form to learn how to prepare for severe weather and its health risks.
• Watch When the Fire Starts for a look at the health risks of wildfires and how to stay safe.
• Watch When the Sky Turns Gray for how smoky or polluted air can affect health, and what people can do about it.
• Watch When the Storm Comes for guidance on staying safe and healthy during severe storms.

Informational materials

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has produced a series of "Ready Wrigley" educational materials for children to learn about being prepared for natural disasters in their community and home, including coloring books and checklists.

• Ready Wrigley: Coping After a Disaster (Activity Book): Coping activity book for children facing the aftermath of a natural disaster.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Winter Weather (Activity Book): Winter weather activity book for children.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Tornadoes (Activity Book): Tornado safety activity book for children.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Extreme Heat (Activity Book): Extreme heat activity book for children.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Hurricanes (Activity Book): Hurricane safety activity book for children.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Earthquakes (Activity Book): Earthquake safety activity book for children.
• Ready Wrigley Prepares for Wildfires & Smoke (Activity Book): Ready Wrigley Prepares for Wildfires & Smoke

Climate change reports

• 2024 Billion-dollar disaster analysis from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information – January 2025
• Off-the-Charts Heat: 2024 Global and U.S. Temperature Review from Climate Central – January 2025
• The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: facing record-breaking threats from delayed action – November 2024
• Achieving 100% Clean Energy in Wisconsin report (PDF) – August 2022
• Wisconsin Clean Energy Plan (PDF) – April 2022
  • Clean Energy Plan Progress Report (PDF) – August 2024
• 2021 Climate Assessment report from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts – February 2022
• Governor's Task Force on Climate Change in Wisconsin report – December 2020

Climate change websites

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
• Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts
• Climate and Health – CDC (Centers for Disease Control)