Create Your Personal

HEAT ACTION PLAN

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How Vulnerable are you to heat?

Introduction

Why you need a Personal Heat Action Plan

Heat is a part of life in Australia. One of the best things about this country hasAlways been that good old summer sunshine. People move here from all overthe world for its glorious sun and outdoor lifestyle.

Australians are usually expert at handling temperatures that would causeothers much more stress. So it can be easy to underestimate the dangers ofheat when you have lived with it, and enjoyed it, all your life.

But in recent years Australia has experienced unprecedented temperatureextremes and it is undeniable that these new temperatures are starting toaffect life in new ways, changing lifestyles, changing our thinking about heat.Heatwaves are getting hotter and more frequent, and they are lasting longer.

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The number of hot days has more than doubled since the 1960s. Over thepast two years, temperatures in Australia have risen faster than in any otherG20 country. The extended heatwave in early 2013 affected 70% of Australiaand set new temperature records in every state and territory. I am sure youare aware that there are now two new colours on the temperature scale usedby the Bureau of Meteorology, deep purple and pink. They represent the two2-degree bands above 50º C, four additional degrees in total, that were addedto the scale to represent this new reality.

People of all ages and levels of fitness can experience serious heat-relatedillness. And young children and older adults are especially vulnerable. I amsure you know that heat stroke can kill or cause life-long disability. But did youknow that, tragically, heatwaves are now responsible for the deaths of morepeople than any other natural hazard experienced in Australia.

Nobody wants to risk their health by underestimating the potential dangers ofheat. But there are many ways in which things you love doing for pleasure, orneed to do for your job, could be more risky during a heatwave. You and yourfamily need information so you can prepare yourselves to face extremetemperatures on a much more regular basis.

Here is the good news. Heat-related illness is largely preventable. So youcan take steps to protect yourself and your family if you know how.

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First of all, in order to stay well in a heatwave, you need up-to-dateinformation on heat health. You can find a huge amount of public healthinformation about heatwaves on the internet. But this information is of ageneral nature only, and it is scattered over many websites. Each site typicallyoffers only a few pieces of the complex puzzle that is human health inextreme heat. So, despite the great amount of information you can access onthe internet, three key questions may stay, at least partly, unanswered:

How does general public health information apply to you personally, asA unique individual leading a complex life?

What are the aspects of heat health you need to pay most attention to?Have you overlooked something important?

You need to be able to see the full picture of the puzzle and to find yourpersonal answers to these questions. You need to know how to translategeneral information into preventive action that is tailored to you and yourpersonal life circumstances. You need to know how you, and each member ofyour family, may be vulnerable to extreme heat and which particular steps youcan take to protect each person. In other words, you need to know how tocreate your Personal Heat Action Plan.

How this book helps you to create your Personal Heat Action Plan

This e-book is a how-to guide to staying healthy in a heatwave. It guides youthrough the process of finding your personal answers to the questions youmay have. It teaches you how to create a Personal Heat Action Plan that istailored to your and your family members’ lifestyle, health status, and potentialrisk factors.

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The e-book is a manual for staying healthy in a heatwave and gives you aWhole toolkit to work with:

A detailed checklist with questionnaire guiding you step-by-step through the process of creating your Personal Heat Action Plan. Thirteen chapters on different aspects of heat health and how to apply This knowledge effectively in your life. Individual chapters on heat health for young children, pregnant women,

Older people and those living with chronic illness. Chapters on how to stay well playing sports and leading an active

Lifestyle during heatwaves. Detailed symptoms of the different types of heat-related illness. First aid that can be given by somebody without medical training. High quality information in accessible, non-medical language. Information particularly relevant to Australians. Key points for each chapter. A source list of heat health websites published by official organisations

And governmental bodies. These sites were carefully reviewed andSelected to cover the key topics.

Information about mobile apps for your smartphone and tablet PC thatCan help you stay healthy in a heatwave.

This book was written by Dr. Chris S. Nagl PhD who is an internationallyrecognised biomedical scientist working on global health challenges of the21st century. Dr. Nagl has held appointments at world-leading universities formore than fifteen years.Chris has a particular interest in how people can protect their health andwellbeing in our warming climate. Chris therefore decided to write thispractical e-guide on how you can create your Personal Heat Action Plan.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Why you need a Personal Heat Action Plan and how this book helps you tocreate one

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Checklist for your Personal Heat Action PlanFundamentals

Stay well hydrated in daily life Look after your skin and eyes Recognize the danger symptoms of heat-related illness Learn the basics of first aid in a heat stress emergency Reduce exposure to bushfire smoke

Life stages

Take care of yourself in the heat if you are pregnant or nursing Keep kids safe from heat stress Stay healthy in the heat if you are older

Managing medical risk factors

Check for medical risk factors Learn about medical drugs that can make you more vulnerable to heat Stay well in a heatwave with diabetes or cardiovascular illness

Outdoor living Keep your cool at outdoor sports and games Create a heat-savvy outdoor lifestyle In concluding

Notes and Sources : Climatefitness.org

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