To access this guide in the app: Me Tab → Skills → Community Resilience: Heat
How to keep homes cool, check on vulnerable people daily, recognise heat illness and stay safe if wildfire threatens your community - based on UKHSA guidance and Met Office Heat Alerts.
This is not a medical or fire rescue guide. It covers community awareness and neighbour support only. For medical emergencies call 999. For fire emergencies call 999. Always follow instructions from the emergency services.
Heat-Health Alert levels - Green to Red and what each means
Cooling a home - curtains, loft hatches, damp towels and fans
Checking on neighbours - what to look for and ask
Recognising heat illness - cramps, exhaustion and stroke
Wildfire awareness - stay or go, shelter in place
Smoke safety - N95 masks and indoor protection
The UKHSA and Met Office issue Heat-Health Alerts by region when hot weather is forecast. Check levels at metoffice.gov.uk or via the Met Office app.
No immediate heat risk.
Stay informed. Identify vulnerable neighbours now.
Hot weather forecast in 3-4 days.
Prepare: check on neighbours. Stock water and fans.
Increased health risk. Act now.
Visit vulnerable people daily. Follow all cooling guidance in this guide.
Danger to life.
Emergency action. Call 999 for heat illness. Evacuate if directed.
ℹ️ Target temperatures: below 26°C during the day and below 24°C at night. If you cannot keep a vulnerable person's home below these thresholds, they are at risk - contact their GP or the local authority for support.
The key principle: keep heat out during the day, flush cool air through at night. A well-managed home can be kept 5-10°C cooler than outside.
Once outside is cooler than inside (usually after 9-10pm)
Do this by 9am - before the outside temperature exceeds the indoor temperature. Even thin curtains can reduce heat gain by up to 40%.
Hot air rises. Opening the loft hatch allows trapped heat to escape into the loft space and out through roof vents. This alone can noticeably reduce upper-floor temperatures. Do this for neighbours who cannot reach their hatch.
Evaporating water cools the air passing through - an effective, low-cost cooler. Re-wet every hour in high heat.
Typically a north-facing room on the ground floor. Encourage vulnerable neighbours to spend the hottest hours (11am-3pm) here.
Ovens, dishwashers, tumble dryers and incandescent bulbs generate significant heat. Delay their use until the cooler evening.
Once outside is cooler than inside (usually after 9-10pm)
Create a cross-draught by opening windows at both ends. Ground floor and upper floor windows together maximise airflow.
A fan facing inward on the windward side and outward on the leeward side dramatically increases air exchange. A bowl of ice in front of a fan provides additional cooling.
A lightly damp (not wet) sheet cools through evaporation throughout the night - very effective for elderly neighbours who struggle with heat.
Trap the cooler night air inside before the sun starts heating the building again.
During Amber or Red alerts, aim to visit or call vulnerable neighbours at least once - ideally twice - each day. A visit in person is more effective than a phone call.
Before a heatwave: elderly residents, people who live alone, those with chronic conditions (heart disease, COPD, diabetes, kidney disease), people on certain medications (diuretics, antihistamines, antipsychotics).
A phone call cannot reveal if the home is dangerously hot, if the person is confused, or if they have had enough to drink. Visit in person during Amber and Red alert levels.
If the hallway feels very hot, the home needs cooling immediately. Open the loft hatch, close curtains and set up a fan before leaving.
Ask: "Have you had anything to drink today?" and "Have you taken your medication?" Dehydration reduces the desire to drink - you may need to actively encourage them. Offer water with every visit - do not wait to be asked.
Confusion, very flushed skin, stopping sweating despite the heat, rapid breathing or a strong headache are all warning signs. See Module 4.
Open the loft hatch, hang damp towels, bring cold water or a fan, collect medication, or drive them somewhere cooler (library, shopping centre, family member's home).
💧 Hydration: Aim for 1.5-2 litres of fluid per day - more in extreme heat. Keep a large jug of cold water visible and within reach. Signs of dehydration: dark yellow urine, dry mouth, headache, dizziness, confusion. Dark brown urine - seek urgent medical advice immediately.
Heat illness exists on a spectrum. The key distinction: heat exhaustion is treatable with first aid - heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring 999.
Wildfires in the UK are increasing. This section covers recognising risk, warning neighbours, and sheltering safely. Never attempt to fight a wildfire yourself.
If you see smoke or an active wildfire, call 999 before doing anything else.
If an official evacuation order is issued - leave immediately using the designated route.
Close all windows and doors. Seal gaps with wet towels. Move to an interior room away from the fire side.
Only return when authorities give the all-clear - re-ignition is common even after visible fire is gone.
💨 Smoke safety: Wildfire smoke contains carbon monoxide, fine particles (PM2.5) and toxic gases. Wear an N95 or FFP2 respirator mask if you must go outside - standard surgical masks provide very limited protection. Do not exercise outdoors during poor air quality. People with asthma, COPD or heart disease should follow their emergency action plan and contact 111 if symptoms worsen.
⛔ Never attempt to fight a wildfire yourself - call 999. Always follow Fire & Rescue Service instructions.
Key actions to remember during a heatwave or wildfire event. Save this page or screenshot for offline access.
⛔ Never attempt to fight a wildfire - call 999. Heat stroke = 999. This is an awareness guide, not a medical or fire rescue guide.
| Service | Number | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency services | 999 | Fire, life risk, heat stroke, wildfire |
| NHS Non-Emergency | 111 | Heat exhaustion, health advice |
| Met Office Heat Alerts | metoffice.gov.uk | Heat-Health Alert levels by region |
| UKHSA Heat Advice | ukhsa.gov.uk | Sign up for alert emails |
| National Gas Emergency | 0800 111 999 | Gas issues during shelter-in-place |
| GoodSAM | goodsamapp.org | Alert trained responders near you |
ℹ️ This guide is informed by UKHSA Heat-Health Alert guidance, NHS guidance on heat illness, and National Fire Chiefs Council wildfire advice. For advanced training contact your local Fire & Rescue Service or the Red Cross. Community first response: goodsamapp.org.
|
