Little: My proposition for a ‘Healthy City Initiative’

It’s compelling and entirely practical for our community to set a goal that, on its face, may sound audacious: To become the nation’s healthiest city.”

John Little, Scottsdale resident

Today, that’s a vexing question for the whole country.

In the worst pandemic since 1918, governors are trying to find the tipping point between economic devastation and the toll in illness and death. There is no good or easy choice. I wish them wisdom and courage.

As a community, we need to face the question, too, as we strive to recover physically, economically, socially and emotionally.

We’ll need more than rhetorical answers.

Obviously, health is invaluable. But how much of our treasure and time --- personally and as a community --- are we willing to invest? And, to be frank and hard-headed about it, what’s the payoff?

For Scottsdale, history shows that past payoff has been enormous. It could and should be even greater in the future. It’s compelling and entirely practical for our community to set a goal that, on its face, may sound audacious: To become the nation’s healthiest city.

The fact is, Scottsdale has been heading in this direction from its beginning.

We need to once again re-invent the strategies that over a century ago set us on a course to become one of the premier destination communities in the world.

Community historian Joan Fudala talks about Scottsdale’s health-conscious beginnings in a must-watch video on the city’s YouTube channel. In “Scottsdale Survives!” Joan reminds us that this coronavirus isn’t our first public health calamity rodeo --- not by a long shot.

Scottsdale and nearby areas were dotted with health camps in the early 1900s when people fleeing or seeking a cure for tuberculosis came here for the warm winters, fresh fruit and fresh air.

Joan also makes the case that our then-tiny hamlet survived the 1918-19 influenza pandemic through neighborly cooperation and concern. It’s a little unnerving to learn about our forebears closing schools, mandating facemasks and quarantines and, unfortunately, jumping the gun in their yearning to return to normalcy.

Like us, they faced terrible choices. But they did indeed survive and thrive.

Based on the early health camps, Scottsdale over the decades built a top-notch resort and tourism industry, fueled by the city’s reputation for sun, open space and hospitality.

The connections between tourism and health have strengthened as resorts have promoted their spa services, dining and exercise options and desert excursions. In the meantime, the city’s government and business leaders have worked mightily to attract a blossoming biomedical industry and top-notch medical providers.

Our quality of life is so high that WalletHub has named Scottsdale among the nation’s 10 healthiest cities three years running. Given those successes, why would Scottsdale need to ratchet up its commitment to health even more?

There’s an obvious answer that airlines, restaurants and resorts have learned in a flash: Your business dies if people don’t feel safe. In a post-COVID world, a tangible, effective commitment to public health will set apart the communities that attract visitors, investors and businesses.

Undoubtedly, business, tourism and health leaders have a long list of must-do’s after this pandemic.

Our community should be collectively knocking at their doors, asking how we can support their plans. Wouldn’t we help supercharge those efforts by rolling out a community strategy to be the America’s healthiest place?

I’m not thinking of huge new city government programs here. I am talking ground-level innovation. I am talking about neighbors and citizens carrying on their normal lives just a little differently, understanding a “healthy economy” means just that.

For example, what if, in our sunny climate, where skin cancer runs high, we made small quantities of sunblock commonly available, like the public hand sanitizer stations in businesses, now in such high demand?

What if our entertainment and dining businesses banded together to offer CPR and other emergency training to their staffs --- and advertised that fact to their patrons?

What if every employee and every citizen took 15 minutes each year for a refresher course on what do when calling 911, so we understand what information operators need and how to speed and help paramedics when they arrive?

What if 80% or 90% of our citizens actually took advantage of free flu shots, and the people eligible for other low-cost, preventative treatments --- the shingles and pneumonia vaccines, for example --- were a significant majority?

What if we made such ideas long-term, measurable community goals that become part of our community brand?

Surely there are hundreds of ideas out there. I’d love to hear them, as well as objections (healthy debate adds value to all ideas). There is no better time to be reminded that health is in our community DNA. There is no better time to define, in real terms and real life, exactly what that will mean for our future.

When the current pandemic is on the wane and people once again start making travel plans we want our city to be top of mind, a place they can come and feel safe, A destination that is recognized the world over as....The Healthiest Community in America, Scottsdale, Arizona.

Editor’s Note: John Little is a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the upcoming Aug. 4 primary election.