Why and how you can beat the heat!

AFTER an unprecedently cool few months for this time of the year, the heat has arrived, and swimming season is in full swing.

Last week saw temperatures consistently hit the mid-30s which meant keeping cool was a priority, but experts say it’s important to stay cool not only for comfort but also health.

Dr Kate van Berkel of Bendigo Health said many people don’t appreciate exactly how dangerous the high temperatures can be.

“A lot of people probably aren’t aware but extreme heat actually kills more Australians than any other natural disaster,” she said.

“We’ve been talking a lot about floods recently and obviously in the summer bushfires are on people’s minds a lot, but extreme heat is actually really dangerous as well.”

Keeping cool and avoiding being outside in the hottest parts of the day are vitally important this time of year according to Dr van Berkel, however if you are out in the heat there are some signs to look out for.

“The less extreme symptoms are heat rash and cramps,” she said.

“As things progress people may start to feel unwell, and they may start to experience nausea or vomiting.

“When you are starting to head more into that heat stroke territory you start to feel drowsy and you might become confused or you might even lose consciousness altogether.”

One of the best ways to keep cool is to hit the water and Dr van Berkel said pools are a “great way to stay cool in the heat.”

“Swimming pools are going to be particularly important this summer considering a lot of our waterways are still affected by those floodwaters,” she said.

One of the places to go for a swim is the Faith Leech Aquatic Centre and venue manager Jake Thrum said it’s the favourite time of the year for visitors and staff alike.

“This time of year, there are a lot of families,” he said. “Family visits are great and it’s really fun to see all the kid’s smiling faces and families cooling off in what are hot times at the moment.”

More people swimming means greater challenges for the lifeguards, but Mr Thrum said they are prepared for the uptick in swimmers.

“This time of the year we have a summer roster so we will have anywhere from up to seven or eight lifeguards on at one time,” he said.

“There are policies through Life Saving Victoria on having a specific number of lifeguards on and we make sure we cater for that.”