Protect yourself and your loved ones in the heat

One heat peak is an episode characterized by intense heat, short duration (over 1 to 2 days) or high temperatures that persist over time. An episode of heatwave very hot during the day and at night for at least 3 consecutive days. Find on the website of the Ministry of Health the main health rules facing heat waves.

Adopt the right reflexes

Exposure to high temperatures poses a significant risk to the health of all and particularly to the most vulnerable: the elderly, young children, pregnant women, people with disabilities or chronic diseases or those taking certain medications and people in precarious situations. Simple actions help prevent serious accidents, such as dehydration or heat stroke. Do not hesitate to take all precautions before the first signs of physical suffering, even if they seem insignificant.

The main heat-related pathologies are fatigue that can lead to dizziness, malaise, muscle cramps, dehydration. Other symptoms such as constipation, weight loss or low blood pressure and tachycardia may occur. The most serious risk is heat stroke, which can lead to death.

With heat, the body has difficulty regulating its temperature and other symptoms may appear: warm, red and dry skin, headache, nausea, drowsiness, unusual aggressive behavior.

Protect yourself by doing the following :

• stay cool;
• drink water and prefer jelly or sparkling water for people who are on the wrong roads;
• avoid high-caffeine beverages such as coffee, tea, or high-sugar beverages such as sodas;
• wet your body;
• close shutters and windows;
• favor soft activities;
• eat fresh and balanced;
• avoid alcohol;
• take news of the most fragile;
• in case of discomfort, call the 15.

It is also important to monitor your diet. Eat enough, divided during the day if necessary, and eat a balanced diet with water-rich foods (fruits, raw vegetables, cold soups, compotes, etc.). Finally, avoid eating or drinking frozen products.

Keep your home fresh

The Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe) gives those recommendations to keep your home cool:

• During the day, close the shutters as soon as the sun hits the window or before going to work in the morning. Also close the windows as soon as the outside temperature exceeds that of your home. If your home has multiple exposures, keep the windows closed on the sun side and open on the shaded side if it allows drafts.
• To cool the rooms, by evaporation of water, you can hang a damp cloth in front of an open window on the shaded side.
• Open the windows at night and create air circulation to evacuate the heat stored inside.
• Use fans and misters. You can place an ice pack or bag of ice cubes in front of a fan.
• Avoid operating appliances that produce heat: hotplates, oven...

You can also place anti-heat films on the windows, they can repel up to 90% of solar radiation before it penetrates inside the rooms.

The most vulnerable: register on the heatwave register

The heatwave register makes it possible to identify on a communal file the people who wish to be helped in the event of heatwaves. It's a service free and confidential. The mayor is required to establish and maintain this municipal name register. The purpose of this file is to locate the populations most at risk, who will be regularly contacted by the services of their city throughout the duration of the alert, to ensure that they do not need help. During these calls, the agents also remind the basic advice to avoid the risks of dehydration and to refresh themselves. If the person called does not respond, and the non-response is considered worrying, the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS), responsible for these calls, can contact the municipal police who will move and who can ultimately contact the firefighters.

Certain categories of persons may be registered on this register, provided that they reside at home :

• persons aged 65 and over;
• persons over 60 years of age recognized as unfit for work;
• adults with disabilities;
• the most vulnerable people (isolated, under medical treatment, pregnant women…).

The application for registration must be completed or by the person concerned (or its legal representative) or by a third party (the person's entourage or service intervening with them).

To find out the exact terms and conditions, contact your local town hall.