PHOENIX, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting this week, more than 100 digital billboards across the Valley will display critical local heat relief resources, thanks to a partnership between Maricopa County, Clear Channel Outdoor, the Maricopa Association of Governments and the City of Phoenix. Billboards owned by Clear Channel Outdoor will promote 211 Arizona to direct at-risk community members to one of 230+ local heat relief sites that can help them stay cool during Arizona's dangerous late spring and summer time heat.

"Working with our partners, we've expanded hours at life-saving cooling centers across the region. Now, we need as many people as possible to know about this resource," said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Sellers, District 1. "Clear Channel Outdoor understood the importance of this messaging—how it could save lives—and generously offered to share heat relief resources on their digital billboards at no cost."

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) confirmed a record-breaking 645 heat-associated deaths in 2023, a significant increase from the previous year. The digital billboards will help combat this trend by promoting the free, 24-hour 211 information service that can assist people experiencing heat emergencies. MCDPH has funded expanded capacity at the bilingual call center to help connect residents to cooling and respite centers, utility assistance, and A/C repair and replacement during the 2024 heat season.

"Every one of us in Maricopa County, and the surrounding area, is affected by this extreme heat," said Diane Veres, regional vice president, Clear Channel Outdoor Southwest & Midwest. "And every one of us wants to prevent a summer like 2023. We know thousands of Maricopa County residents and visitors see our billboards daily and it is our hope that those who are in need will respond to these messages by calling 211 for assistance."

MCDPH research found the biggest barriers to using cooling centers in 2023 were:

• Not knowing they exist
• Lack of transportation to cooling centers
• Not knowing where cooling centers are located

To address this, Maricopa County partnered with City of Phoenix on branded street signs outside all cooling centers, some of which are now open on weekends, too.

"Providing extended hour and overnight respite opportunities is just one of the many ways the City of Phoenix is stepping up to protect our residents during these extreme heat days and months," says Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. "We are proud to partner with MAG, Clear Channel Outdoor, and Maricopa County to ensure more people—including our most vulnerable—know how to get the help they need to stay safe."

This new digital billboard campaign with Clear Channel Outdoor will expand awareness further, alerting residents and visitors all over Maricopa County to real-time temperatures and the resources available.

For information on heat illnesses and prevention, visit Maricopa.gov/heat.

For real-time heat data, visit the new MCDPH dashboard.

About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month.

About Maricopa County

Maricopa County is one of the nation's fastest-growing counties, home to more than four and a half million people. Together, through nearly fifty line of business including public health, public safety, and elections, Maricopa County employees work on behalf of all residents to provide programs and services that improve quality of life at a great value to taxpayers. We believe in service that helps you solve a problem, move forward with a project, manage a difficult situation, or simply check something off your list.

About City of Phoenix

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States. We're a vibrant, growing city and a great place to live, work, and play! Explore our website for news and to learn about city services. Follow us on social media.

About Maricopa Association of Governments

The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) provides a forum for local and tribal governments working together on issues that affect the lives of everyone in the greater Phoenix region. MAG develops and coordinates the Heat Relief Network interactive map that identifies hundreds of locations where people can find shade, water, and indoor cooling, as well as where to donate supplies. The network is active from May 1 to September 30.

About 211 Arizona

211 Arizona, originally known as Community Information and Referral Services, was founded in 1964 and incorporated as a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 1979. In 2017, Solari, Inc. acquired the program, which transforms lives by linking individuals and families to vital services throughout Arizona.

SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor