Stay safe in the heatwave

Over the next few days the Met Office has announced that the weather is going to be increasingly warm. Please follow the guidance below to ensure you look after yourself and others during this time.

Be prepared in case the weather stays hot:

• Stay tuned to the weather forecast on the TV or radio.
• If you’re planning to travel, check the forecast at your destination too.
• Make sure you carry plenty of water with you if you are out and about or making a journey by car or public transport.
• Plan ahead: stock up with supplies so that you don't need to go out during extreme heat and think about what medicines, food and non-alcoholic drinks you'll need.
• Keep plenty of water to hand and stay in the shade whenever possible.
• Identify the coolest room in the house, so you can go there to keep cool.
• Don't go outside between 11am and 3pm as this is the hottest part of the day.
• Spend time in the shade and avoid strenuous activity.
• Drink water or fruit juice regularly, even if you’re not feeling thirsty. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol, and if you do drink alcohol make sure you have lots of water or other non-alcoholic drinks as well
• Eat normally even though you may not be as hungry. You need a normal diet to replace salt losses from sweating. Try to have more cold foods, such as salads and fruit, as these contain a lot of water.
• Keep rooms cool by closing curtains (light coloured curtains will keep a room cooler than metallic blinds and dark curtains which can make the room hotter).
• Keep the windows closed while the room is cooler than it is outside, and open windows at night when the air is cooler, but only if it is safe to do so.
• People with heart problems, breathing difficulties or serious illnesses may find their symptoms become worse in hot weather, so make sure you have enough medicines in stock and take extra care to keep cool. Contact your GP if you have any concerns about your health.

It is very easy to become dehydrated in hot weather as we can soon lose more fluid than we take in, so drink cold non-alcoholic drinks regularly, keep out of the sun during the hottest times of the day, and avoid physical exertion in the heat where possible. People who are very young, the elderly and those with chronic conditions are more at risk, so keep an eye out for friends and neighbours who may be vulnerable. 

Take extra care with food in hot weather. 

When it’s hot, bacteria on food can multiply very quickly, which increases the risk of food poisoning. 

So, it’s important to make sure food is:

• Kept in cooler bags when taking it home from the supermarket or out for a picnic
• Put in the fridge as soon as you get home – the temperature of the fridge should be between 0 and 5 degrees Celcius
• Kept out of the sun