It is important to prepare well ahead of a heatwave.
This is especially important if you are more at risk or sensitive to the effects of heat, or if you are caring for someone who is more at risk.
A heatwave preparation checklist helps prepare yourself and your home.
Talk to your relatives, neighbours and friends about keeping in contact during a heatwave in case you or they need help.
When creating a heatwave plan consider:
Your health can be affected during a heatwave, especially if you have a medical condition or are more at risk to the effects of heat.
Before a heatwave you should:
Many prescribed medications can make the risk of heat-related illness worse.
If you are on regular medications, talk to your pharmacist about how your medications could affect your health in the heat.
It is important to remember that medications can become less effective or occasionally toxic when overheated.
Most medications need to be stored at a temperature below 25 degrees Celsius. Talk to your GP if you are unsure about correct storage temperatures.
Preparing your home for a heatwave helps keep you and your loved ones safe.
To prepare your home for a heatwave:
It is also important to understand your bushfire risk and how to prepare your home for a bushfire. Bushfires often occur on days of high temperatures and during heatwaves.
Regularly check the weather forecast to monitor the heat.
You can use the Bureau of Meteorology’s Heatwave Service maps which show colour-coded heatwave assessments for the previous days and predict heatwaves about to occur.
If the map shows a heatwave is current in your area, or you are close to a heatwave region, take precautions to reduce your exposure to high heat and follow advice from NSW Health or your GP.