Councils are on high alert to combat heatwave conditions following forecasts of soaring temperatures at the end of this week.
Fears have been issued for the wellbeing of old and vulnerable people after the Met Office declared a level 2 heat-health alert.
Social workers, community wardens and maintenance staff will be working to identify and support residents who might be struggling in the high temperatures, which are set to hit parts of the Midlands and south east England on Thursday.
With the heatwave expected to last until Saturday night, council employees will be making extra calls and visits to vulnerable people.
More than 2,000 people in England died due to extreme temperatures experienced in the 2003 heatwave. Since then, the country has developed an annual heatwave plan that sees councils, health professionals and the emergency services working together to keep people safe.
Dr Paul Cosford, director for health protection at Public Health England (PHE), said: ‘To prepare for any type of hot weather this summer, we strongly encourage each locality to consider the actions in this plan and adapt them to their local situation, as a component of wider resilience planning and long-term climate change adaptation arrangements.’
Councils and community groups can get prepared for hot weather by reviewing PHE’s Heatwave Plan for England.
Cllr Katie Hall, chair of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: ‘The hundreds of deaths caused by extreme heat each year are avoidable.
‘Councils are determined to reduce the toll as much as possible, but they cannot do it alone. Local people can make a massive difference by helping us identify other residents who might need some advice or practical help.
‘We know that effective action, taken early, can reduce the health impacts of exposure to excessive heat. Most of these are simple preventive measures which to be effective, need to be planned in advance of a heatwave.’
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