Boats in Harbor

The Heat is On: Staying Safe as Temperatures Rise Event

Banner graphic with bold text "The Heat Is On," event details for June 13th, and a large image of the sun.

On July 13, 2026, partners in the Tampa community working on heat resilience co-hosted an event to discuss how residents and organizations can stay safe as temperatures in our region continue to rise. The keynote speaker for the event was Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist, Jeff Berardelli, from WFLA Channel 8. A full list of presenters is listed below:

  • Karen D. Liller, PhD, CPH, FAAAS, FAAHB, Distinguished University Health Professor, Director of the Activist Lab, and Cast member in "Under the Florida Sun" at the University of South Florida College of Public Health
  • Liz Gutierrez, CEO and Founder of Enterprising Latinas and Producer of "It’s Hot Out There" Heat Illness Action Guide
  • Kayla Caselli, Sustainability & Resilience Officer for the City of Tampa
  • Mackenzie Ball, C.M., ACE., Senior Manager of Airport Safety at Tampa International Airport
  • Carolina Gutfreund, Lead Organizer for GenCLEO at The CLEO Institute

Special thanks to Susan Glickman of the CLEO Institute and Dr. Dan Huber at the University of Tampa for organizing and hosting us!

Slideshow:

Seven people standing in front of a heat safety event presentation slide.
People in matching green shirts attentively watch a presentation indoors at Heat 2 event.
Three women seated indoors, one speaking into a microphone during a panel discussion.
Three women in green shirts sit indoors, one holding a microphone, during a heat discussion panel.
Three women sit on a panel, one speaking into a microphone, in a discussion setting.
Graphic showing outdoor workers in safety vests with text: "It's Hot Out There. Preventing heat illness."
Jeff Beradelli presenting next to a heat graph showing rising temperatures in Tampa and Florida.
Woman with a microphone speaks during a discussion in a conference room, others listen nearby.

Videos:

The Heat is On 2026 Event Recap
Jeff Beradelli Presentation
The Heat is On Panel