Heatwave

[lizzytysh]

Hi Paula ~

It'll probably take both eons and ions for that to occur . So, this is the long-term, global-warming effect? Interesting. And do these numbers mean 10,000 in Britain and 10,000 in France, for the total of 20,000? I had initially heard of very high numbers in France. Meanwhile, as billions get pumped into Iraq, we can't seem to manage to save our own elders. I say "we," as the U.S. could certainly contribute to both countries for some stop-gap measures, i.e. A/C window units, bottles of water, medical aid, whatever. These numbers are twice [for each country] the number who died in the World Trade Center tragedy. Yet, we barely hear mention of it. Due to other circumstances, I'm not with NPR per normal. Even so, news of this warrants more coverage [and funding!] than its getting. Forest fires [and earthquakes] elsewhere get direct aid and personnel sent. This is the invisible fire, but taking exponentially more lives.

~ Lizzy

[linmag]

I knew about the huge death toll in France, but had not heard that it was the same in the UK. I think that many of those who died in France were in homes for the elderly, but the problem may be more to do with their age than where they were. It could just be that the numbers are more readily available from institutions than from 'private' deaths.

The problem with offering aid in such cases is that it's virtually impossible to target or to deliver successfully to those most at risk. The elderly get help in winter with their heating bills, but overheating is much more tricky to deal with. There was a TV campaign a few years ago to raise public awareness about the causes and effects of hypothermia and those most vulnerable to it. If the hot summers are part of a global trend, perhaps the first step would be a similar campaign about the dangers of heat exhaustion.

[Paula]

You are right Lizzie bit of a freudian slip there with my ions although they may play a part somewhere along the line.

It wasn't so much the heat altho that was bad it was the fact it was so humid and it caused problems for people with breathing difficulties i.e. the elderly and asmatics (sic). I don't know what you can do realistically to deal with it. We only had about three weeks of intense heat and that was enough to do the damage.

[lizzytysh]

I've tried to imagine what I might do to mitigate against death during such times, and have thought of lying in a tub of cool water during the heat of the day. Apparently, however, one of the things that occurs is a lack of awareness of just how "hot" one's body is. I had never heard of the humidity-and-breathing-difficulty issue, Paula. Likewise, the targeting aspect is something I hadn't considered, Linmag. How about a central, call-in number for letting someone be aware that you're at risk. Of course, addressing the issue[s] within such a small window of time is still a problem. What a dilemma .

[Paula]

As someone once said there are two sure things in life death and taxes.

We along with many other countries have an ageing population and you have to die of something. People have a natural life span which is being increased by modern medicine you can't wet nurse thru every conceivable occurence.