Heatwaves
During heatwaves, high temperatures can affect our health and wellbeing. By looking after ourselves and each other, and adjusting daily activities, we can all stay safe in extreme heat.
Feeling affected by the heat or you believe someone you know may be affected? Call Nurse-on-Call on 1300 60 60 24. For life threatening emergencies call triple zero (000).
Find information to help you through a heatwave:
Multilingual health and wellbeing information can be accessed at the Department of Health's health translations.
People at higher risk to heat
Anyone can suffer from heat-related illness such as cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, but some people are more at risk.
People to look out for that are at higher risk include:
- seniors over 65 years, particularly those living alone without air-conditioning
- infants
- overweight or obese
- pregnant and nursing mothers
- people with chronic illness such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and kidney disease
Anyone with health conditions that impede sweating, such as scleroderma, cystic fibrosis and extensive scarring from burns, with limited or poor mobility or are taking medications that may interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature can also be affected.
Five tips to survive the heat
1. Drink more water
Keep hydrated! Always take a bottle with you. Drink extra water, even if you're not thirsty. Please note: if your doctor normally limits your fluids, check how much to drink during hot weather.
Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and sugary or fizzy drinks: they make dehydration worse.
2. Hot cars kill
Never leave kids, adults or pets in hot cars. The temperature inside a parked car can double within minutes.
3. Keep cool
Seek out air-conditioned buildings to spend your time in on hot days (for example, shopping centres, libraries or cinemas).
Keep your house cool by drawing the curtains or external blinds to block the sun.
You can also keep yourself cool by using damp towels on the back of your neck, splashing cool water on your face and taking cool showers in the day and night.
Stay out of the sun if possible. If you must go out, wear sun protection and take water with you.
Ensure that meat, seafood, and dairy products are always stored below 5˚C.
4. Plan ahead
Schedule activities such as sport, gardening and exercise while it's cooler, avoid exercise, but if you must go out, wear sun protection and take water with you.
5. Help others
Look after those most at risk: the elderly and those with medical conditions. Check in on them every day.
Ensure your pets or companion animals are also well hydrated and have plenty of shade when they're outside.
Prepare for power outages due to heat
Power outages can occur during periods of extreme heat. Be prepared by having the following items to hand:
- torch
- extra batteries
- bottled water
- first aid kit
- contact details of your electricity provider
See Vic Emergency's Guide to Power Outages for more information.
Bushfire safety
There are a number of resources available from the Victorian Government to help you look after yourself in a fire event or in a fire-affected area. These address issues such as stress, trauma, smoke and other issues and are available in multiple languages:
Find translated materials and resources for fire preparation, safety, survival and recovery with the Victorian Multicultural Commissions fire safety in-language.