Heatwave Newsletter August 2014docs2.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/4D6D7F317B4BF5B0CA257D41001DD4B8/$F… · You may be able to use the information in this newsletter to inform your

Page 1 Department of Health

Message from the Chief Health Officer, Dr Rosemary Lester

The 2013 -2014 summer saw record high temperatures with the Department Health issuing heat health alerts for 13 days due to heat health temperature thresholds being reached or exceeded across most of the state. Victoria experienced 4 consecutive days of increased temperatures from January 14, with a statewide heat health alert on Tuesday 14 January. The Office of the Chief Health Officer is in the process of preparing a report on the health impacts of the January 2014 Victorian heatwave and it is expected to be available shortly. As Victoria has just experienced a significant heat event, I encourage you to begin reviewing your heatwave plans, as events, actions and issues are fresh in our minds. Should you require any assistance in reviewing your plans, please contact Environmental Health on 1300 768 874.

Planning for 2014-2015 summer

It might not be hot, but now is the time to review your heatwave plan, engage with stakeholders and update your heatwave plan. The Heatwave plan review tool is an excellent tool for helping do just that. You can download it from http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/heatwaves-planning.htm.

When reviewing your heatwave plan, think about what worked well and what could have worked better. Was there an action you thought you should be doing or were doing that was not captured in your plan? For some organisations, there are actions already in place during the planning, preparing and responding phase of a heat event, but they may not be documented or communicated with relevant parties.

You may be able to use the information in this newsletter to inform your planning process so plan ahead to be ready for next summer.

Heat health alerts issued during 2013-2014 summer

The Department of Health monitors the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecasts for potential extreme heat events from 1 December to 31 March. The heat health alerts issued during the 2013-2014 summer period are detailed in the table below.

Event date

Weather forecast district(s) notified & temperature threshold

Actual maximum & minimum temperature reached (as provided by the BoM)

Actual average temperature

Forecast average temperature

Date & time alert issued

19 Dec Central (30 oC) Melbourne Max: 42.6

Min: 14.7 28.7 31.5 17 Dec

9.02am

North Central (30 oC) Kilmore Gap Max: 36.7 Min: 22.7

29.7 30.5 17 Dec 9.02am

13 Jan Mallee (34oC) Mildura Max: 42.6

Min: 26.9 34.8 34 9 Jan

10.00m


29.3 30.5 9 Jan 10.00am

Heatwave Newsletter

August 2014


Event date






14 Jan

Central (30 oC) Melbourne Max: 42.7 Min: 25.2

34 31 9 Jan 10.03am

North East (32 oC) Albury/Wodonga Max: 41.2 Min: 21.0

31.1 32 9 Jan 10.03am

East Gippsland (30 oC) Bairnsdale Max: 41.1 Min: 22.4

31.8 30.5 10 Jan 10.19am

Northern Country (32 oC)

Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 42.4 Min: 23.6 Max: 43.8 Min: 21.1

33 32.5

33 32.5

9 Jan 10.03am

South West (30 oC) Hamilton Max: 43.5 Min: 23.2

33.4 30 13 Jan 10.16am

West & South Gippsland (30 oC) Sale Max: 41.6 Min: 20.9

31.3 30 10 Jan 10.19am

Mallee (34oC) Mildura Max: 45.2 Min: 24.0

34.6 34.5 9 Jan 10.00am


32.9 32 9 Jan 10.00am

Wimmera (32 oC) Horsham Max: 45.0 Min: 23.6

34.3 32 9 Jan 10.03am

15 Jan


33.9 31.5 13 Jan 10.20am

North East (32oC) Albury/Wodonga Max: 41.8 Min: 23.0

32.4 32.5 13 Jan 10.23am


Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 43.2 Min: 27.2 Max: 43.2 Min: 28.6

35.2 35.9

32.5 32

13 Jan 10.20am


30.7 30.5 13 Jan 10.16am


32 30.5 15 Jan 11.56 am


34.5 34.5 13 Jan 10.20am


32.2 31.5 13 Jan 10.23am


33.3 32 13 Jan 10.20am


Event date






16 Jan


32.9 34.5 13 Jan 10.20am


32.7 33 13 Jan 10.23am


Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 43.8 Min: 22.9 Max: 42.7 Min: 23.2

33.4 33

34.5 33.5

13 Jan 10.20am


33.1 32 13 Jan 10.16am


34.8 35.5 13 Jan 10.20am


33.7 34 13 Jan 10.23am


32.7 34 13 Jan 10.20am

17 Jan

Central(30 oC) Melbourne Max: 42.8 Min: 22.4

32.6 30 15 Jan 11.56am


32.3 33 13 Jan 10.23am

East Gippsland(30 oC) Bairnsdale Max: 44.6 Min: 19.6

32.1 31 16 Jan 4.52pm


Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 42.9 Min: 23.6 Max: 43.4 Min: 23.6

33.3 33.5

32.5 32

15 Jan 4.57pm

West & South Gippsland(30 oC) Sale Max: 40.6 Min: 20.5

30.6 30 15 Jan 4.57pm

North Central(30 oC) Kilmore Gap Max: 40.6 Min: 16.2

28.4 30 13 Jan 10.23am

18 Jan North East (32 oC) Albury/Wodonga Max: 41.2 Min: 21.3

31.3 32 16 Jan 4.52pm

30 Jan North Central(30 oC) Kilmore Gap Max: 34.4 Min: 13.4

23.9 30 28 Jan 5.18pm

31 Jan


34.9 34 28 Jan 1.39pm


21.8 30 28 Jan 5.18pm

1 Feb


30.2 30.5 based on Ballarat

28 Jan 5.24pm


31.2 32 28 Jan 5.26pm

Northern Country (32 oC) Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 41.9 Min: 17.1 Max: 41.1 Min: 22.6

29.5 31.9

33 32.5

28 Jan 5.27pm


28.6 31.5 28 Jan 5.20pm


33.3 34.5 28 Jan 1.39pm


27.3 33 28 Jan 1.36pm


Event date






1 Feb Wimmera (32 oC) Horsham Max: 42.6 Min: 18.6

30.6 33 28 Jan 5.21pm

2 Feb


30.3 30.5 29 Jan 10.20am


30.8 32 29 Jan 10.20am


Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 42.9 Min: 19.7 Max: 42.9 Min: 22.5

31.3 32.7

33 32.5

29 Jan 10.20am


31.6 31.5 31 Jan 9.22am


35.6 34.5 29 Jan 10.20am


32.8 33 29 Jan 10.20am


36 33 29 Jan 10.20am

3 Feb Mallee (34oC) Mildura Max: 40.5 Min: 14.8

27.7 34 30 Jan 1.00pm

8 Feb


33.4 35 5 Feb 10.10am


Shepparton Bendigo

Max: 41.6 Min: 27.1 Max: 41.4 Min: 24.2

34.4 32.8

31.5 33

5 Feb 10.10am


30.7 31.5 5 Feb 10.10am


25.6 30.5 5 Feb 10.10am


34.9 34 5 Feb 10.10am


31.6 32 5 Feb 10.10am


33.6 32.5 5 Feb 10.10am

For further information please refer to Australian Government – Bureau of Meteorology: Special Climate Statement 48 – one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwave http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs48.pdf

Did you know?

The Heat Health Information Surveillance System (HHISS) relies on data obtained from different sources. Data from sources external to the Department of Health is provided for surveillance purposes under agreements that limit data use and availability. Any party seeking data in relation to heat health must approach the primary data custodian directly for access to the relevant data collection. Public hospital emergency department and hospital admissions data may be requested from the Department. The process for requesting data is outlined at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hosdata/requests.htm


Staying healthy in the heat messages

One of the most significant multi-day heatwaves on recorded affected southeast Australia over the period from 13 to 18 January 2014. Numerous records were broken for extended periods of heat. Most notably, state-average data reveal that Victoria had its hottest four-day period on record, for both maximum and daily mean temperature.1 The heatwave communications strategy was developed to support implementation of the state heatwave plan and included a range of activities in preparation for the heatwave season together with actions in response to a declared heatwave. The communication strategy raises awareness of the health impacts of extreme heat, particularly the most vulnerable, and the steps required to mitigate those risks. This was particularly important given the extended duration of the 2014 heatwave.

The communication strategy focusses on:

• supporting a whole of government response to heatwaves in an emergency situation

• encouraging community resilience by providing information directly to the community on simple ways to stay healthy in the heat

• supporting health and community service providers and other organisations with consistent heat health messages to share with their stakeholders

• educating health and community service providers about the early warning signs of heat-related illness and appropriate management strategies.

Social media, paid advertising, web-based resources and printed collateral were all supported by extensive media coverage. The challenge to elevate awareness of the risk of heatwave as an extreme weather event remains and we welcome any feedback on how to communicate these important safety messages.

Ambulance Victoria in demand (Provided by Ambulance Victoria) The heatwave Victoria experienced from Monday 13 January to Saturday 18 January 2014 saw unprecedented levels of demand for ambulance services across the state, particularly in Melbourne. Ambulance Victoria’s response highlights the benefits of a state-wide approach under the State Health Emergency Response Plan. Ambulance Victoria (AV) enacted its Heatwave Plan in preparation for extreme temperatures following a Heat Health Alert on Monday afternoon. The Heatwave Plan, which is a sub-plan of AV’s Emergency Response Plan, aims to maintain normal operational response to the community while managing increased demand resulting from the heatwave. During this high demand, AV focussed ambulances on the sickest patients based on the information provided at the time of call. Where delays occurred, patients were called back to check on their welfare and condition and where that had changed our responses were reassessed and upgraded if necessary. AV organised extra paramedics, ambulances, managers, non-emergency, communications and support staff to manage the cumulative effect of several hot days and hot nights, which led to an escalation in ambulance demand. Throughout the week, an extra 240 operation shifts were added in addition to usual rosters and filled an additional 100 non-emergency shifts to transport low-acuity patients. AV appreciated the efforts of paramedics and all others who worked in extremely trying conditions to help Victorians during this period. Friday 17 January saw a record 2553 triple zero calls for ambulance, an increase of about 30% on Monday’s call volume. This followed Thursday’s total of 2506 ambulance triple zero calls, the second highest number of ambulance calls ever answered by Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA). Cardiac arrests also saw a significant spike. AV was called to 77 suspected cardiac arrests on Friday alone –the usual number is about 12 a day. Unfortunately there were also a high number of calls for children locked in cars during the extreme temperatures. The response to a similar heatwave in 2009 helped inform planning for this event for the benefit of Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian communities.

1 From Special Climate Statement 48 – one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwaves, Updated 21 January 2014, Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology.


Statewide calls to Ambulance Victoria during heatwave

Heat Exhaustion Cardiac Arrests Kids in cars Monday 13 12 11 Tuesday 83 11 8 Wednesday 109 26 13 Thursday 163 37 9 Friday 112 77 9 Saturday 26 45 10 506 208 60

** Cardiac arrest figures are preliminary. The Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) publishes annual cardiac arrest statistics. VACAR is one of the largest pre-hospital cardiac arrest registries in the world and supports a significant research program into the care of cardiac arrest patients by AV

Regional breakdown of Heat Exhaustion cases

Barwon -

South West

Gippsland Grampians Hume Loddon Mallee

Metro Statewide TOTAL

Monday 0 0 2 0 4 7 13 Tuesday 5 2 5 3 3 65 83 Wednesday 2 6 4 8 7 82 109 Thursday 9 8 6 4 10 126 163 Friday 8 5 2 5 8 84 112

Summer Sense – Being prepared for heatwave events i n the City of Melbourne (Provided by City of Melbourne)

Since the development of the City of Melbourne Heatwave Action Plan in 2009, the City of Melbourne has

strengthened its communication strategy with stakeholders and its community to raise awareness of extreme heat events, and to focus on behaviour change as one of the best ways to prevent heat stress related illness. This summer saw the highest number of heat health alerts issued by the Department of Health. These alerts were triggers for the activation of the City of Melbourne Heat Health Alert Communication Strategy.

In developing the communication strategy, 3 key target audiences were identified: - City of Melbourne staff - groups within the community most vulnerable to extreme heat events - the general public visiting and working within the municipality

City of Melbourne internal staff message was aligned to the OH&S policies, with a focus on those working outdoors.

When preparing messages for those at risk, City of Melbourne identified service providers that had a direct or indirect contact with those members of the community most at risk during heat events. In doing so, discussions held with service providers assisted them to identify why their clients were vulnerable to heat, what policies or strategies they had in place to deal with extreme heat events, and other potential actions they could consider to further support their clients. External stakeholders such as Travellers Aid, CBD Homeless Network, The Living Room, Doutta Gala Community Health and Department of Transport were some of the great advocates who took leadership to implement further actions in preparation for and in response to client needs during extreme heat days. Part of City of Melbourne’s focus this year has been working with specialist network agencies to support those who were experiencing homelessness during days of extreme heat. The agencies provided bottled water for clients, extended office hours to provide respite from the heat, and safe storage facilities so that clients could de-layer. During the months of February and March, City of Melbourne provided for those experiencing homelessness, access to showers, bathers and free swim passes to any City of Melbourne recreational leisure centre. Recreational service staff were trained to receive these members of our community so that they felt welcomed and informed of the facilities available.


The Heat Health Alert message with supporting information and resources was distributed by email to stakeholders who could forward it on to relevant support services and clients. This year, City of Melbourne initiated a community heat health alert email group, where representatives of particular community groups received the alert, with supporting information for the forecasted extreme heat days. City of Melbourne assessed the available resources that could be provided to support the messaging to clients, be they for aged/senior members, children, CALD groups or those attending outdoor events. As such, a heatwave resource listing was made available to stakeholders enabling them to choose what material best suited their needs. Resources that City of Melbourne has provided during campaign periods include: Summer Sense drink bottles, cooling neck ties, City of Melbourne drinking fountains maps, and a heatwave webpage with further tips and links on how to help you during extreme heat events. The use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook has helped to promote care tips and alerts about extreme heat days, in particular for members of the general public. In late December 2013, a City of Melbourne Twitter post on hydration tips and the drinking fountain map was one of the most accessed tweets issued by an Australian government agency. An additional resource used during the 2013-2014 summer was promotion of the Yarra Valley Water Choose Tap App – locating the nearest public drinking fountain to you. City of Melbourne reviews its heat wave communication strategy each year to identify opportunities for improvement. For the upcoming summer, identified enhancements include noting cool public places on the existing drinking fountains map; the development of council strategy around establishing municipal cooling centres, ensuring social inclusion and support for those experiencing homelessness during periods of extreme heat and cold. City of Melbourne continues to support and promote summer sense messaging at community events such as the Mind Body and Soul Seniors Victorian Festival and other relevant community events, and to monitor success via the behaviour change of our community, in being prepared for extreme heat events in our city. http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/CommunityServices/EmergencyManagement/Pages/SummerSense.aspx

Benalla Rural City Council – response to January 20 14 heatwave (Provided by Benalla Rural City Council)

During the heatwave experienced by Victoria during January 2014, Benalla Rural City Council decided to trial some new initiatives, to see how council could best respond to the needs of its residents. It was decided to trial new initiatives that would give young families, vulnerable people and the elderly the option of a break from the heat for a few hours, as well as provide them with some entertainment. It also provided them with the chance to get together with other members of the community. Media releases were put out via local radio, newspaper, social media and the council website advising the community of the cooler places they could attend, such as the Art Gallery, Library, Aquatic Centre or Cinema. There was also constant communication between the council and police regarding council’s response. Benalla Rural City Council is fortunate to own and operate the Benalla Performing Arts & Convention Centre (BPACC), the local performing arts centre and cinema, giving council the option of being able to provide a cool venue with entertainment that residents can attend, rather than setting up a specific cooling centre. On Wednesday 15 January, a television was set up in the large foyer of BPACC showing the tennis. This provided a free cool place for residents to sit and relax, and complimentary drinks, including water, were provided. With the heatwave continuing on Thursday 16 January, council successfully screened free family friendly movies, at BPACC in conjunction with advertised programs. The Princess Bride was shown at 2.00pm and had an amazing 169 people attend followed by a further 82 attending the screening of Monty Python at 4.00pm. The feedback received by council to this initiative was overwhelmingly positive and it generated great comments and feedback on social media sites and they have now been incorporated into the council Heatwave Plan. For further information please contact Rebecca Gerdsen, Emergency Management Coordinator on [email protected]


DSDBI Summer Campaign

(Provided by Department of State Development Business & Innovation)

Summer 2013-14 saw the Department of State Development Business and Innovation (DSDBI) deliver its summer campaign, Your Guide to Power Outages - to help people in their preparations for the Victorian bushfire season. The campaign was developed by the Powerline Bushfire Safety Program, a 10-year project delivering on the powerline protection related recommendations from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. As summer weather conditions can cause power outages, the guide outlines some simple things you can do at home to help prevent power outages. Your Guide to Power Outages is designed to help people know how to prepare and be safe. For summer 2013-14, the guide was distributed across regional and rural Victoria and throughout Bunnings hardware stores. It can also be found online at: www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/power-outage-guide The Powerline Bushfire Safety Program will continue its summer campaign next season and is looking to share this public information further. Contact Georgina Waters at [email protected] for more information.

Staying healthy in the heat communication resources and publications

Staying healthy in the heat communication resources and publications can be found on the Department’s website at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/heatwaves.htm

The Heatwave plan review tool to assist and support local councils during the review process for their heatwave plans can be found at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/heatwaves-planning.htm

If you would like to contribute to this newsletter or have any questions about heat and the Heat Health Alert System please contact Environmental Health on 1300 761 874 or send an email to [email protected]. The Department of Health would like to acknowledge the Bureau of Meteorology, DSDBI, Benalla Rural City Council, City of Melbourne and Ambulance Victoria for their contribution to this newsletter.

Documents

Heatwave Newsletter August 2014docs2.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/4D6D7F317B4BF5B0CA257D41001DD4B8/$F… · You may be able to use the information in this newsletter to inform your