Stay safe in the heat

Extreme heat can affect people of all ages. It’s important to look after yourself and those around you in hot weather.

In Australia, older people are at a higher risk of heat-related illness. Extreme heat can lead to hospital care or serious, life-threatening harm. Illness can include heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Preparing for extreme heat can make hot days safer and more manageable.

Tips for keeping cool on hot days

• Use air conditioning or fans to keep cool. If you don’t have access to either, there are alternatives. You could visit an air-conditioned building like a shopping centre, public library or art gallery. If you do go out, always take a bottle of water with you.
• Drink water, even before you feel thirsty.
• Reschedule activities that aren’t essential.
• Let family, friends and neighbours know that you’re safe.
• Block heat from entering your home with blinds or curtains. Open windows and doors if you think it is hotter indoors than outdoors.
• Wear light and loose-fitting clothing.
• Keep skin wet, using a spray bottle or damp sponge.
• Take cool showers or foot baths in cool tap water.
• Wrap ice cubes in a damp towel and drape around your neck.

Planning tips for hot weather and heatwaves

Follow weather reports

• Watch the news daily.
• Check the Bureau of Meteorology forecast.
• Read the current heat health alert.

Plan ahead

• Schedule activities in the coolest part of the day.
• Avoid exercising in the heat.
• Cancel non-essential outings.
• If you must go outside, wear a hat and sunscreen, and take a bottle of water with you.

Review medications and any chronic disease care plans

• If you or someone you care for takes medications or has chronic medical conditions, talk to a doctor about the risk of heat-related illness in hot weather.

Check your electrical items and prepare for outages

• Ahead of hot weather, check that your fan or air-conditioner works well.
• Have your air-conditioner serviced if necessary.
• Learn about coping without gas or electricity in emergencies.

Stay cool

• Keep curtains closed and spend time in the coolest room of the house. If you think it is hotter indoors than outdoors, open windows and doors.
• Turn on your air conditioner to ‘cool’.

Be responsible

• Never sit for long periods of time in a hot, parked car. This can be especially dangerous for children, older people and pets. On hot days the temperature can double in minutes.

For detailed advice, visit the Better Health Channel.

Preparing for emergencies

Victoria is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world, so it’s vital to plan ahead. Fire can affect anyone, and risk is most extreme if you live near the bush or grasslands.

It’s important to think ahead about the supplies you may need and to ready yourself emotionally for the potential impacts of an emergency.

VicEmergency is your central source of emergency information and warnings for Victoria. You can also learn how to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Know what’s happening around you by:

• downloading the VicEmergency app to your smartphone via:
  1. the Apple App Store
  2. the Google Play Store
• listening to your local ABC radio station
• setting a ‘Watch Zone’ for your local area in the VicEmergency app. You can also set ‘Watch Zones’ for where your family and friends live.

Use the Victorian Government Online Fire Planner to create a basic plan in as little as 10 minutes.

Learn the fire danger ratings

Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

The ratings help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk. Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

To learn more about the ratings and what to do, visit the CFA website.

Recovery after disaster and emergencies

Support is available for people experiencing trauma, damage or loss due to disasters and emergencies.

There's no timeframe for recovery, but support and assistance are available to help you get back on track.

Recovery looks different for everyone impacted by disaster. For some people, recovery is ongoing.

The Road to Resilience podcast encourages listeners to tune in on their recovery timeline – when they feel ready.

Access the podcast and more resources on the Disaster and emergency recovery web page.