High Risk Factors
There are certain factors that increase an individual's risk during a heatwave. These include:
- Older Age: especially women over 75 years old.
- Chronic and Severe Illness: including heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal insufficiency.
- Inability to adapt behaviour to keep cool: having Alzheimer's, a disability, being bed bound, too much alcohol, babies and the very young.
- Environmental factors and overexposure: living in urban areas and south-facing top-floor flats, being homeless, activities or jobs that are in hot places or outdoors and include high levels of physical exertion.
In a moderate heatwave, it is mainly the high-risk groups mentioned above who are affected. However, during an extreme heatwave normally fit and healthy people can be affected.
Protective Factors
The best ways to protect you and others in a heatwave is to do the following:
Stay out of the heat:
- Keep out of the sun between 11.00am and 3.00pm.
- If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf.
- Avoid extreme physical exertion.
- Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.
Cool yourself down:
- Have plenty of cold drinks, and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.
- Eat cold foods, particulary salads and fruit with a high water content.
- Take a cool shower, bath or body wash.
Keep your environment cool:
- Place a themometer in your main living room and bedroom to keep a check on the temperature.
- Keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day, and open windows at night when the temperature has dropped.
- Care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat - consider replacing or putting reflective material in-between them and the window space.
- Consider putting up external shading outside windows.
- Have your loft and cavity walls insulated - this keeps the heat in when it is cold and out when its hot.
- Use pale, reflective paints.
- Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment - they generate heat.
- Grow trees and leafy plants near windows to act as natural air-conditioners.
- Keep indoor plants and bowls of water in the house as evaporation helps cool the air.
- if possible, move into a cooler room, especially for sleeping.
Look out for others:
- Keep an eye on isolated, elderly, ill or very young people and make sure they are able to keep cool.
- Ensure that babies, children or elderly people are not left alone in stationary cars.
- Check on elderly or sick neighbours, family or friends every day during a heatwave.
- Be alert and call a doctor or social services if someone is unwell or further help is needed.