Extreme heat events, like the one we are experiencing right now across much of Texas, kill hundreds of people each year. But FEMA, the agency in charge of disaster preparedness, doesn't recognize heat as an an official "emergency."
Houston area Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and others recently introduced the Extreme Heat Emergency Act, it's a bill which would add extreme heat events to the list of major qualifying disasters for FEMA.
The FEMA disaster list currently includes things like hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and earthquakes but no heat-related disasters.
The reason that designation is important is money. If extreme heat events were added to the list, federal dollars would be available to communities to pay for emergency cooling shelters and temporary housing during heat events.
FEMA adminsitrator Deanne Criswell says although they aren't providing funding, they know they still have a role to play.
Rep. Garcia says getting that FEMA designation is key to getting help to communities nationwide dealing with a triple-digit disasters.