Like flash floods, blizzards and other extreme weather, soaring summertime temperatures can prove deadly to some. The Washington-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published the “Excessive Heat Events Guidebook” that provides a menu of options that officials can use to respond to heat waves. They include offering cooling centers chilled by air conditioning for residents who do not have units in their homes and coordinating public information about heat exposure symptoms and treatment. The guide is available at www.epa.gov/naturalevents/extremeheat.html.