Imperial County suffered the most casualties in California during a scorching heat wave a year ago. That's according to a new study by the state Department of Public Health Services. The study looks at heat-related deaths statewide during a two-week period in July of 2006.
Maria Peinado of the Imperial County Public Health Department says the county is relaying information to groups that serve at-risk populations like the elderly and the homeless.
Peinado : The Public Health Department isn't able to go to each of these groups individually given the limited resources we have so we really work with our agencies that are out in these communities each day in order to share that information.
Peinado said cool centers have been set up at churches, libraries and community centers across the county.
She said so far this summer, a transient and an undocumented border crosser have died of heat stroke.