Heatwaves: think about best practices!

Heat waves have become more frequent, longer, and earlier in recent years. One heat wave is an episode characterized by intense heat, short duration, or high temperatures that persist over time. A national heat wave occurs when the national average daily temperature exceeds 25.3°C. An episode of heat wave is very hot during the day and night at least 3 consecutive days.

Adopt the right reflexes!

Exposure to extreme heat poses a significant risk to the health of everyone, especially the most vulnerable: the elderly, the sick under medical treatment or with disabilities, pregnant women, children and infants. Simple actions can help prevent serious accidents, such as dehydration or heatstroke. Do not hesitate to take all precautions before the first signs of bodily suffering, even if they seem insignificant to you!

The main heat-related conditions are fatigue, headache, nausea, muscle cramps, dehydration. The most serious risk is heatstroke, which can result in death.

During hot weather, protect yourself by taking the following actions:

• keep cool;
• drink water;
• avoid alcohol;
• eat enough;
• close shutters and windows during the day, ventilate at night;
• wet your body;
• keep up-to-date with your loved ones: stay in touch with the elderly, isolated or frail (relatives, friends, neighbors) every day and make sure they are not suffering from the heat.
• prefer effortless activities;
• if you feel unwell, call 15.

Keep your accommodation cool

Here are a few recommendations to keep your accommodation cool:

• During the day, close the shutters as soon as the sun hits the window or before going to work in the morning. Also close the windows as soon as the outside temperature exceeds that of your home. If your home has multiple exposures, keep the windows closed on the sun's side and open on the shaded side if it allows drafts.
• To cool the rooms, by evaporation of water, you can hang a damp cloth in front of an open window on the shaded side.
• Open the windows at night and create air vents to remove the heat stored inside.
• Use fans and misters. You can place an ice pack or a bag of ice cubes in front of a fan.
• Avoid operating appliances that produce heat: hotplates, oven...

It is also possible to place heat-resistant films on the windows. These can repel up to 90% of solar radiation before it enters rooms.

The most vulnerable people: registering on the heatwave register

The heatwave register makes it possible to identify on a communal file those who wish to be helped in the event of heatwaves. This is a service free and confidential. This file is updated twice a year. Its purpose is to locate the populations most at risk, who will be contacted regularly by their city services throughout the duration of the alert, in order to ensure that they do not need help. During these calls, agents also remind people of basic advice to avoid the risk of dehydration and to cool off. If the person called does not respond, and the non-response is considered worrying, the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS), which is responsible for these calls, can contact the municipal police who will travel and who can, as a last resort, contact the firefighters.

Three categories of persons may be registered in this register, on condition that they reside at home :

• persons aged 65 years and over;
• persons over 60 years of age recognized as unfit for work;
• disabled adults (public defined according to the municipalities), professionals or persons close to them.

Registration request must be completed or by the data subject (or its legal representative) or by a third party (the person's entourage or service). For the exact terms and conditions, ask your local council.

A Heat Wave Anticipation Plan

The Ministry of Ecological Transition has put in place the first heat wave anticipation plan for summer 2023. It complements the heatwave device on health risks developed by the French Ministry of Health and Public Health and relies on the vigilance device of Météo France. The anticipatory plan includes a public communication campaign on:

• the work which can be carried out in the dwelling and the behavior to be expected in the event of high heat;
• the right actions to take if you have animals;
• an indication of the islands of freshness and public fountains in the municipalities;
• the dissemination of preventive messages in transport.