05/12/2023
⚠️🥵 EXTREME HEAT WARNING: Hello Summer! ☀️
The Bureau of Meteorology has just issued an EXTREME HEAT WARNING for our region, with heatwave conditions to persist into the weekend.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to remain at or above 35°C🔺 in until at least Saturday.
🔴 TUESDAY: 37°C
🔴 WEDNESDAY: 35°C
🔴 THURSDAY: 35°C
🔴 FRIDAY: 38°C
🔴 SATURDAY: 35°C
Heatwaves can be dangerous for everyone’s health, but some people are more vulnerable including:
🧓 people over 65 years old,
👶 babies and young children,
🫀 people with certain medical conditions,
👷♂️ people who work outside,
🤰 pregnant women,
👤 people who live alone or are socially isolated
⛺️ and people who are homeless.
👨⚕️ HEALTH ADVICE: It is important to recognise the signs of heat-related illness. In extreme heat, your body’s ability to cool itself down can fail, causing your body temperature to increase to a dangerous level.
🟠 HEAT EXHAUSTION is serious heat related illness and is your body’s response to a loss of water and salt in hot weather, usually through excessive sweating or excessive physical activity.
Symptoms include pale skin, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, fainting, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, decreased urine output.
🔴 HEAT STROKE is the most severe heat-related illness, and requires immediate emergency medical attention to avoid permanent disability or death.
Symptoms include confusion, slurred speech, agitation and altered mental state, profuse sweating or hot, dry skin, muscle twitching or seizures, rapid breathing, a quick strong pulse or very high body temperature.
🚑 If you experience any of the above symptoms and they do not improve, seek medical care. If symptoms are worsening and you are concerned about heat stroke, call triple zero (000) immediately.
🏡 There are a few simple things you can do to stay safe (and cool) in a heatwave:
✅ Avoid being outdoors in the hottest part of the day.
✅ Keep your home cooler by using air-conditioning or electric fans and closing doors, windows, blinds, and curtains.
✅ Limit your physical activity to early in the morning when it’s coolest.
✅ Stay hydrated by drinking water regularly. If your doctor has restricted your fluid intake, ask them about how much you should drink when it is hot.
✅ When outdoors, apply sunscreen and wear sunglasses and a wide brim hat to protect your eyes, face, and scalp
✅ Seek out cool places or air-conditioned public facilities in your local area, if you can safely travel without getting too hot
🔥 These heatwave conditions will also bring a heightened risk of fires. If a fire starts in your area, your life and property may be at risk.
The NSW Rural Fire Service is urging those that live in/near, or are visiting bush fire prone areas to know the Fire Danger Rating and have a plan of action in the event a bush or grass fire threatens.
✅ Review and discuss your bush fire survival plan and know what you will do if fire threatens.
✅ Report all unattended fires to Triple Zero (000) immediately.
✅ Stay up to date on bush fires in your area by checking Hazards Near Me app, the RFS website www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, listening to your local radio station, or by calling the RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
