With temperatures expected to soar in coming days and weeks, emergency services have offered advice on the best ways to survive a long and hot summer.
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Rural Fire Service
The NSW RFS is urging those who live in or are visiting bush fire prone areas to be aware of 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.
If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bush fire risk areas.
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.
If your life is at risk, call Triple Zero (000).
NSW Health
Heatwaves can be dangerous for everyone's health, but some including people over 65, 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 are more vulnerable.
There are a few simple things you can do to stay safe in a heatwave:
- Avoid being outdoors in the hottest part of the day.
- Keep your home cooler by using airconditioning or electric fans and closing doors, windows, blinds, and curtains.
- Limit your physical activity to early in the morning when it is 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
It is also important to recognise the signs of heat-related illness.
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 and reduced urine output.
If you experience these symptoms and they do not improve, seek medical care. Call your doctor or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
If symptoms are worsening and you are concerned about heat stroke, immediately call Triple Zero.
Heat stroke is the most severe 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.
If left untreated, this can result in permanent disability or death, so heat stroke requires immediate medical emergency care.
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 are concerned about heat stroke, immediately call Triple Zero.
Visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/beattheheat for information on how to stay safe during a heatwave.
Bushfire smoke
With heat comes the risk of bushfires and poor air quality due to bushfire smoke, that can affect your health.
It can also make some people's existing health conditions worse.
People in areas impacted by bushfire smoke are encouraged to check the air quality where they live and to follow associated health advice when planning their daily activities.
If you live in an area where a bushfire is possible, check and follow any emergency warnings associated with threats from bushfires.
NSW Ambulance
NSW Ambulance urges people in fire affected areas to wear any form of eyewear and loose clothing to cover your skin to assist in reducing any incidental injury.
If you sustain an injury or illness from heat or fire or if there is an emergency, call Triple Zero.
Fire and Rescue NSW
If you see an unattended fire, please call Triple Zero immediately.
To prepare your home for dangerous fire weather, clean out your gutters and remove piles of rubbish, weeds and leaf matter.
If you have a pool, tank or dam, put a static water supply sign on your property entrance so that firefighters can easily identify water supplies.
If you are in a bushfire-affected area, please enact your Bush Fire Survival Plan.
NSW Police
With high temperatures expected across the state, police are asking commuters to keep their cool.
Traffic delays and the heat generally has the potential to frustrate drivers with slower conditions on the road, so please be patient.
Many people will want to head to the beach, a local swimming hole or swim in their backyard pool.
Police have urged people to please be careful and keep a watchful eye over children especially when they are near the water - all children need to be supervised.
Anyone who sees suspicious or illegal behaviour should to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
The best advice is if you don't need to be out - stay at home.
Above all, look after yourself and those around you. If you need assistance call Triple Zero.
