Extreme Summer Weather — Preparing for Hot Weather

Hot weather is enjoyable for many of us, but prolonged or extreme heat can affect our health, our homes and essential services.

Anyone can become unwell if they get too hot, but some people are particularly vulnerable.

Wraysbury & Horton Resilience (WHR) uses UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Heat-Health Alerts as the basis for our heat-related Risk Status and Risk Updates.

The best time to prepare for extreme heat is before an alert is issued.

QUICK LINKS — What do you need now?

Alerts

☀️ There’s a Heat-Health Alert — what does it mean?

Understand Green, Yellow, Amber and Red Heat Health Alert levels.

Hot Weather

🌡️ Hot weather is here — what should I do now?

Practical steps to stay cool, hydrated and well and to help other people.

Heat Illness

🚑 Someone is becoming unwell — what should I do?

Recognise heat exhaustion and heatstroke and know when to get medical help.

Prepare

🏠 There’s no heat alert — how can I prepare?

Prepare yourself, your neighbours and your home for hot weather

There’s a Heat-Health Alert — What Does It Mean?

UKHSA issues Heat-Health Alerts when hot weather is expected to have an impact on people’s health.

WHR uses these alerts as the basis for our heat-related Risk Updates.

🟢 GREEN — PREPARE

No Heat-Health Alert is currently in force

Green is the normal summer preparedness level.

There is no need for special action, but this is the ideal time to:

prepare your home for hot weather
identify which rooms stay coolest
check that windows, blinds and curtains can be used effectively
make sure you have suitable fans if you need them
consider how you will keep yourself hydrated
check how medicines should be stored
think about relatives, friends or neighbours who may struggle during extreme heat.

The best time to prepare is while the weather is comfortable.

🟡 YELLOW — BE AWARE

Hot weather could particularly affect vulnerable people

A Yellow Alert matters.

Older people, babies and young children, and people with certain health conditions may be particularly affected.

At Yellow:

read the latest WHR Risk Update
start taking precautions against the heat
keep your home as cool as practical
drink regularly
consider changing strenuous outdoor activities
check vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours
make sure medicines and essential supplies are available
watch for further updates.

Yellow means be aware and start taking action — particularly if you or someone you know is vulnerable to heat.

🟠 AMBER — TAKE ACTION

Significant health impacts are possible across the wider population

At Amber, the effects of the heat may extend beyond people normally considered particularly vulnerable.

Everyone should take sensible precautions.

Reduce your exposure to the heat.
Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
Keep your home as cool as possible.
Drink regularly.
Actively check vulnerable people.
Consider changing journeys and outdoor activities.
Be alert for signs of heat-related illness.
Follow WHR and official updates.

There may also be disruption affecting health and care services, transport, workplaces or other services.

Amber means TAKE ACTION.

🔴 RED — PROTECT LIFE

Extreme heat presents a significant risk to health across the population

A Red Heat-Health Alert is exceptional.

At Red, the effects of extreme heat may present a risk to life even among healthy people, and wider disruption may occur.

Avoid unnecessary exposure to extreme heat.
Avoid strenuous activity.
Stay somewhere cool whenever possible.
Drink regularly.
Check vulnerable people frequently.
Be prepared for disruption to normal services.
Follow the latest official and WHR advice.
Know the signs of heatstroke.

If somebody has signs of heatstroke or is seriously unwell, call 999.

Which warnings does WHR use?

WHR uses the UKHSA Weather-Health Alert system as the basis for our heat and cold Risk Updates.

UKHSA issues these alerts in partnership with the Met Office, so they will normally reflect the developing weather situation.

However, Weather-Health Alerts focus specifically on the likely effects of weather on people’s health, while Met Office weather warnings consider wider severe-weather impacts and disruption.

The colours or timing may therefore occasionally be different.

WHR will make clear which official alert or warning our Risk Update is based upon.

Check current UKHSA Heat-Health Alerts

There’s No Heat Alert — How Can I Prepare?

This is the most useful time to prepare.

Heat can build inside homes over several days, particularly when temperatures remain high overnight. Some homes are much more prone to overheating than others.

A little preparation can make a considerable difference when very hot weather arrives.

1. Find the Coolest Parts of Your Home

Different rooms can vary considerably in temperature.

Before a heatwave:

notice which rooms receive direct afternoon sun
identify rooms that remain naturally cooler
work out which windows can safely be opened
understand where you can create cross-ventilation
check blinds and curtains
consider whether temporary shading would help.

If you have an upstairs bedroom that becomes very hot, consider in advance whether you could sleep somewhere cooler during extreme weather.

Your normal bedroom does not have to remain your bedroom during a heatwave.

2. Keep Heat Out Before Trying to Remove It

Preventing a home becoming hot is generally easier than cooling it afterwards.

Sunlight through windows can add substantial heat.

Consider:

closing blinds or curtains on sun-facing windows
external blinds, awnings or shutters where available
reflective or other appropriate temporary shading
switching off unnecessary electrical equipment
avoiding unnecessary use of ovens during the hottest weather.

External shading can be particularly effective because it prevents solar heat entering through the glass in the first place.

Never compromise safe ventilation, fire escape routes or security.

3. Understand When to Open Your Windows

Opening every window throughout the day is not always the best way to cool a home.

When it is hotter outside than inside:

Keep windows exposed to the hotter outside air closed where practical, particularly on the sunny side of the building, and use blinds or curtains to reduce solar heating.

When it becomes cooler outside:

Open windows and encourage cooler air through the property where it is safe to do so.

Evening, overnight and early morning ventilation can be particularly useful after a hot day.

Think: keep hot air out during the hottest period; let cooler air in when outside becomes cooler.

4. Fans and Cooling

If you rely on fans, make sure they work before very hot weather arrives.

Fans can improve comfort by moving air across the skin, but they do not actually cool the room.

Other useful measures can include:

cool showers
cool water on the skin
lightweight clothing
moving to a cooler room
resting rather than remaining active.

If your home becomes uncomfortably hot and cannot be cooled, consider whether you could spend part of the day somewhere cooler.

5. Plan How You Will Keep Hydrated

Have easy access to drinks.

Water is an excellent choice.

During hot weather:

drink regularly
carry water when going out
make sure vulnerable people have drinks within easy reach
avoid excessive alcohol.

Do not wait until you are extremely thirsty before drinking.

If a healthcare professional has told you to restrict your fluid intake, continue to follow that advice and ask them if you are unsure how to manage during hot weather.

6. Medicines and Hot Weather

Continue taking prescribed medicines unless a healthcare professional tells you otherwise.

Some medicines can affect:

hydration
blood pressure
sweating
temperature regulation.

Others may require particular storage conditions.

Before hot weather:

check the storage instructions
avoid storing medicines in direct sunlight
do not leave medicines in a hot car
think about medicines requiring refrigeration if there were a power cut.

Do not stop or change a medicine simply because the weather is hot.

For more information on medications and extreme heat, see this post.

If you are concerned, ask your pharmacist, GP or NHS 111.

7. Know Who May Need Extra Help

Anyone can become unwell in extreme heat, but particular care may be needed for:

people aged 65 and over
babies and young children
people with heart or breathing conditions
people with other long-term illnesses
people with reduced mobility
people with some mental-health conditions
people taking certain medicines
people who live alone
people who cannot easily keep themselves or their home cool
people experiencing homelessness
people who work or exercise outdoors.

Think now about relatives, friends and neighbours who may need help.

A telephone call or visit before and during hot weather can make a real difference.

8. Make a Simple Hot-Weather Plan

If you or somebody in your household is particularly vulnerable, think through:

Which room will we use if the house becomes very hot?

How will we keep that room cool?

Do we have fans or other cooling equipment?

How will we get enough drinks?

Do we have enough regular medicines?

Where could we go if the house becomes too hot?

Who will check on someone who lives alone?

What would we do during a power cut?

Writing these things down can be useful, particularly for someone who relies upon carers or several family members.

9. Prepare for Possible Power or Water Disruption

Extreme heat can place additional pressure on infrastructure.

Keep:

phones charged
power banks charged
torches available
some drinking water available
essential medicines accessible.

If someone depends upon electrically powered medical equipment, make sure there is a plan for a power interruption.

Consider joining your electricity or water company’s Priority Services Register if somebody in your household may require additional assistance during disruption.

10. Think About Pets

Animals can also become dangerously hot.

During hot weather:

make sure pets always have water
provide shade and somewhere cool
avoid exercising dogs during the hottest part of the day
remember that pavements and artificial surfaces can become extremely hot
never leave an animal in a closed parked vehicle.

Plan how you would keep pets cool before extreme heat arrives.

11. Prepare to Change Your Routine

During extreme heat, normal routines may need to change.

Think about moving:

exercise
gardening
dog walking
shopping
other strenuous outdoor activities

to cooler parts of the day.

If you normally exercise vigorously, be prepared to reduce the intensity or duration rather than trying to maintain your usual routine regardless of conditions.

12. Help Make the Community More Resilient

Think about neighbours who:

live alone
are elderly or frail
have reduced mobility
have health conditions
do not use smartphones or social media
may struggle to shop or obtain drinks
live in a home that becomes particularly hot.

WHR maintains arrangements to support registered vulnerable residents during significant incidents.

However, during an Amber or Red event our resources may be stretched and priority must be given to those most vulnerable.

Preparing and helping each other before an alert makes the whole community more resilient.

🌞Hot Weather Is Here — What Should I Do Now?

Once temperatures rise, put your preparations into action.

1. Keep Yourself Cool

Spend time in the coolest part of your home.
Avoid direct sun where possible.
Wear loose, lightweight clothing.
Wear a hat and use shade when outside.
Use appropriate sun protection.
Take cool showers or cool your skin with water.
Reduce strenuous activity.

Try to avoid being outside in direct sun during the hottest part of the day.

If you need to go out, take water with you.

2. Drink Regularly

Drink throughout the day.

Water is ideal.

Be particularly alert to people who may not recognise thirst or may be unable to get themselves a drink.

Avoid excessive alcohol, which can increase dehydration.

3. Keep Your Home Cool

During the hottest part of the day:

shade sun-facing windows
close windows when the outside air is hotter than inside
turn off unnecessary electrical equipment
avoid generating unnecessary heat from cooking.

When outside becomes cooler:

open windows where safe
create airflow
ventilate the home overnight and early in the morning where practical.

If one part of the house is much cooler, use it.

4. Change Your Plans

During significant heat:

exercise earlier or later
postpone strenuous gardening
walk dogs during cooler periods
reconsider long journeys
take regular breaks if working outside
seek shade frequently.

Do not judge the risk simply by whether you personally enjoy hot weather.

5. Check On Other People

During Yellow, Amber and Red conditions, check vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours.

Ask:

Are you managing to keep cool?

Are you drinking enough?

Is your home becoming too hot?

Do you have your medicines?

Is there anything you need?

Be particularly alert to somebody becoming unusually tired, confused or unwell.

6. Cars Can Become Dangerous Very Quickly

Never leave:

babies
children
vulnerable adults
pets

inside a closed parked vehicle during hot weather.

Not even for a short time.

7. Outdoor Events, Work and Exercise

Heat exposure can increase rapidly during strenuous activity.

If you are exercising, gardening, working outdoors or attending an outdoor event:

carry water
seek shade
take more breaks
reduce intensity
wear appropriate clothing
stop if you feel unwell.

At Amber or Red, consider whether the activity should be postponed altogether.

🤒Someone Is Becoming Unwell — What Should I Do?

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are not the same thing.

Recognising the difference is important.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion happens when the body becomes too hot and is struggling to regulate its temperature.

Symptoms can include:

tiredness
dizziness
headache
feeling or being sick
excessive sweating
pale or clammy skin
muscle cramps
fast breathing or heartbeat
high temperature
intense thirst
weakness.

What to do

Move the person somewhere cool.

Then:

Remove unnecessary clothing.
Give them a cool drink if they are able to drink normally.
Cool their skin with cool water, wet cloths or a cool shower.
Fan the damp skin.
Stay with them and monitor them.

They should start to feel better within about 30 minutes.

Heatstroke — Medical Emergency

Heatstroke occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature properly.

Signs can include:

still being unwell after 30 minutes of cooling
very high temperature
hot skin that may not be sweating
fast heartbeat
fast breathing or shortness of breath
confusion
poor coordination
seizure
loss of consciousness.

CALL 999.

Continue trying to cool the person while waiting for help.

If they lose consciousness, place them in the recovery position if appropriate and follow the emergency call handler’s instructions.

Heatstroke can be life-threatening.

When to Use NHS 111

If you are concerned about a heat-related health problem but it is not an immediate emergency, NHS 111 can advise you what to do.

NHS 111 online

Telephone: 111

For suspected heatstroke or another life-threatening emergency:

CALL 999.

NHS — Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Other Summer Weather Risks

Extreme summer weather can bring other hazards as well as heat.

Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding

Very hot weather can sometimes be followed by intense thunderstorms.

Heavy rain can overwhelm drainage systems and cause rapid surface-water flooding even when rivers are not high.

During thunderstorms or intense rainfall:

follow Met Office warnings
keep away from rapidly flowing water
never drive through floodwater
avoid unnecessary journeys if local flooding develops.

For detailed flood preparedness and local WHR advice:

WHR — Flooding: Preparing, Responding and Recovering

Wildfire and Outdoor Fires

Hot, dry conditions can allow fires to spread rapidly.

During periods of high fire risk:

take great care with barbecues
never discard cigarettes
do not light fires in the countryside
follow restrictions on disposable barbecues
take bottles and rubbish home.

If you discover a wildfire:

move away from the fire
do not attempt to tackle a significant fire yourself
call 999 and ask for the Fire Service.

Useful Hot-Weather Resources

UKHSA — Current Weather-Health Alerts

Check the current Heat-Health Alert for our region.

UKHSA Weather-Health Alerts

UKHSA — Beat the Heat

Official advice on staying safe and keeping your home cool.

Beat the Heat — hot weather advice

UKHSA — Keep Cool at Home Checklist

A useful checklist to assess whether your home may be vulnerable to overheating and what you can do about it.

Keep Cool at Home Checklist

NHS — Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke

Symptoms, cooling and when to get medical help.

NHS Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke

Met Office

Weather forecasts and severe-weather warnings.

Met Office

UK Government — Prepare

General household emergency-preparedness guidance.

Prepare

Wraysbury & Horton Resilience — We’re Here to Help You Prepare

Please don’t wait for an Amber or Red Alert to start preparing.

WHR can help residents find information about:

understanding Heat-Health Alerts
preparing for hot weather
keeping homes cooler
preparing for power or water disruption
helping older or vulnerable household members
accessing appropriate support services.

If you know somebody who may need additional assistance during a significant local incident because of age, disability, illness or other circumstances, please speak to us about our Vulnerable Residents arrangements.

WHR: 07808 654321

During a significant incident our resources will inevitably be limited, and priority must be given to residents who are most vulnerable.

Preparing beforehand protects you, helps your neighbours and makes the whole community more resilient.