Babies, the elderly, pregnant women, people with existing medical conditions, the homeless, people who live alone, outdoor workers, and those from cooler climates are urged to take shelter from the swelter.
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A heatwave is expected to hit Tamworth for a number of days, beginning on Wednesday, November 6, with daytime temperatures reaching a high of 40 degrees celsius on Saturday and Sunday and the overnight mercury staying about the 20C mark.
This is expected to leave little respite for those without access to aircon seeking to alleviate the discomfort of dehydration and heat exhaustion, which can quickly turn into a life-threatening situation of heatstroke - where the body is unable to lower its own temperature.
Signs of heat exhaustion include headaches, pale skin, vomiting or nausea, dizziness, heavy sweating, thirst, irritability, weakness, fainting, decreased urine output and muscle cramps, with people urged to seek medical care if these symptoms do not improve.
Heatstroke can result in permanent disability or death and signs include confusion, profuse sweating or hot, dry skin, agitation and an altered mental state, rapid breathing, muscle twitching or seizures, a quick strong pulse or a very high body temperature. People experiencing these symptoms are urged to call 000.
So what can you do?
Avoid being outside during the hottest parts of the day and limit physical activity and exercise to the morning when temperatures are cooler, use aircon, fans, and close doors, windows, curtains and blinds, the NSW department of Health suggests.
People are also urged to drink water regularly throughout the day, with Safework NSW recommending outdoor workers drink one cup of cool water every 15 to 20 minutes rather than chugging back infrequent large drinks.
Those on a restricted-fluid intake are urged to see their GP about how much they can drink on hot days.
And do not forget to slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat to protect from those harmful UV rays.
Ideas for seeking relief from heatwave:
- Pools:
- Tamworth Swimming Pool: weekdays 5.30am to 6.30pm / weekends 7am to 6.30pm
- South and West Tamworth War Memorial pool: Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 5.30am to 6.00pm / Tues 5.30pm to 5pm / weekends 7am to 6pm
- Shops:
- Target, Peel Street: mon, Tues, Weds, Fri: 9am to 6pm / Thurs: 9am to 7pm / sat: 8am - 5pm / Sun: 9am to 4pm
- Malls:
- Tamworth Square, Peel St: Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri, sat: 8am to 5.30pm / Thurs: 8am to 9pm / Sun: 9am to 4pm
- Tamworth Shopping World: Mon to Fri: 7am to 9pm / Sun: 7am to 8pm
- Northgate Shopping Centre: Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri: 9am to 5.30pm / Sat: 9am to 5.30pm / Sun: 10am to 3pm
- Other:
- Tamworth City Library: Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri: 9.30am to 5pm / Tues: 9.30am to 6pm / Sat: 10am to 4pm; Sun closed
- Forum 6 cinemas: movies on until late
- Fill a tub with ice cubes and water
Don't forget about your pets
Libby Pagan said the veterinarians at Greencross Vets South Tamworth are prepared to receive a few animals suffering from heatstroke during the wave of upcoming hot weather.
The experienced veterinarian suggests looking for "anything out of the ordinary" so far as pets are concerned, with lethargy often being an early sign of the progression towards the dangerous condition.
She said cats and dogs will start panting and appear quieter than usual, they'll seek some sort of relief, such as digging in the dirt to get cool or seeking shade, with more severe signs being vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse.
"I think the best thing to do if you're suspecting your animal might be too hot, would be to get him or her vet-checked because sometimes it's more severe than people realise," Ms Pagan said.
"And they can't tell us. They can't communicate it to us. So the best thing people can do is to prevent the animal getting too hot in the first place."
Ms Pagan and a few of her fellow veterinarians at Greencross Vets South Tamworth "put their heads together" for the Leader and came up with a few tips to help out our furry four-legged friends.
- Don't walk or exercise animals during the heat of the day, "for livestock that would be about avoiding working them, mustering them, moving them around", Ms Pagan said.
- "Ideally, if you have a pet that does live indoors, have the air conditioning on. If that's not possible, just make sure they've plenty of shade," she said.
- Freeze up some ice blocks so they can have a lick during the hot days.
- Purchase cooling mats, which have a special gel insert that helps to keep the underside of the animal cool.
- Fill up a big plastic clam pool with water for them to have a splash in
- Turn on an outdoor fan so they can get a bit of relief from the heat
- For horses, don't exercise them in the heat, and give them access to plenty of shade
- If they're stabled, make sure they've plenty of ventilation so they can catch a breeze, apply cooling pads around their necks.
- And for all animals, small and large, make sure they have more than enough water than they're usually given.
