Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services (EMS) have issued a heat-wave warning.
“EMS has noted with concern the warning message from the South African Weather Service that most parts of the City of Johannesburg will have persistently high temperatures throughout this week with temperatures rising to over 40 degrees Celsius,” said spokesperson Robert Muluadzi.
“This current heat wave means that most of the citizens of the City of Johannesburg will be exposed to extremely hot temperatures, which can easily lead to heat cramps, exhaustion or heat stroke,” he concluded.
The previous record high was on 7 January when temperatures reached a high of 38°. The record before that was in November 2015, when the maximum temperature was 36,5°.
Here are some heat-wave safety tips:
1. Stay indoors if possible, or in the shade
2. Keep cool and prevent dehydration by drinking lots of fluids. Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated or carbonated drinks
3. Wear light clothing
4. Avoid direct sunlight and wear a hat and sunscreen. Don’t forget to protect young children
5. Do not leave children or pets in parked locked vehicles
6. Stay away from direct sunlight especially between 11am and 3pm
7. Take frequent breaks if you are working outdoors
Safety tips for those who are tempted to swim to cool off:
1. Swimming pools should be covered with a safety net when not in use
2. Install a fence around the pool. Make sure it’s high enough to prevent children from climbing over it and it keep it locked if the pool is not in use
3. Use your local municipal swimming pool – they have life guards on site
Possibility of veld fires:
The hot, dry and windy weather carries with it the threat of veld fires. People are discouraged from dumping their burning cigarette butts in dry grass, or leaving open fires unmonitored.
Stay safe around water during the heat wave. For any life threatening emergencies, call 10177 or 011 375 5911 from a land line, or 112 or 011 375 5911 from your cellphone.
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