VIDEO: Phoenix is working on a first-of-its-kind heat readiness program that would help the city prepare for extreme heat the way other cities prepare for storms. The program would build on existing efforts to address immediate needs, such as cooling centers for people who can't otherwise escape the heat, and long-term remedies, such as planting trees to provide shade and cool neighborhoods. City officials cite the growing number of deaths attributed to heat in Maricopa County: a record 150 in 2016 and the likelihood of a higher number when 2017 deaths are finally counted. "In Phoenix, Arizona, we wouldn't be doing our job if we weren't better preparing for these hotter conditions that are coming our way," Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said.