Mitigation Measures for Heat Wave

Mitigation Measures for Heat Wave Understanding Risk

• Vulnerability Assessment and Establishing Heat-Health Threshold Temperatures

logging systems for temperature, humidity, etc. required for threshold for heat wave alerts.

• Establish and maintain community -based network for sharing alerts

• Modify or customize warnings according to thresholds suitable for the State/UT

• Hazard Risk Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (HRVCA)

• Create awareness preventive measures

• Specific messages for highly vulnerable groups such as elderly, young children, outdoor workers and slum residents

• Systematic data management on disaster damage and loss assessments

Inter-Agency Coordination

• Overall Disaster Governance

• Establishing and reinforcing the institutional framework, including designating a nodal agency and officials at various levels.

• Developing region-specific Heat Action Plans tailored to state or local requirements.

• Organizing response teams and enhancing coordination mechanisms for efficient management.

• Incorporating technical expertise and best practices from different regions for effective implementation.

• Partnering with NGOs to strengthen outreach and support efforts.

• Preparation and Response

• Managing and coordinating an immediate response to heatwave conditions.

• Collaborating with central agencies for effective action.

• Setting up First Aid and Medical Aid facilities at key locations.

• Identifying high-risk areas and ensuring access to drinking water at vulnerable sites and workplaces.

• Suspending outdoor sports and recreational activities during extreme heat.

• Ensuring livestock preparedness by providing adequate shade and water during hot weather.

• Establishing medical assistance points at locations with large gatherings.

• Implementing a Heat Alert System to facilitate early morning shifts for schools and offices, or rescheduling their timings during heatwave periods.

• Constructing cool shelters, shaded bus stands, and other infrastructure to provide relief from extreme heat.

Warnings, Information, Data

Coordinating the dissemination of warnings to all, down to the last mile – remote, rural or urban; Regular updates to people in areas at risk

Follow the alerts/warning

Collecting Data/Information necessary for review/ update of the plan

Investing in DRR – Structural Measures

Directive to promote cool roofs and heat reducing integrated development, passive cooling technology.

Guidelines and technical support for incorporation of protection from heat wave in Multi-Hazard Resistant Housing Schemes and Heat Wave Action Plan

• Hazard resistant construction, strengthening, and retrofitting of all lifeline structures and critical infrastructure.

Investing in DRR – Non-Structural Measures

• To reduce heatwaves, we will need to modify our urban planning standards and building bylaws to enhance green areas and water bodies and promote cool roofs and green buildings, among other things.

•
Techno -Legal regimes

• Laws and Regulations

• Institutional arrangements

• Improving the forest coverage and green areas

• Promote use of building materials that provide protection from heat

• Promote designs to reduce heat island effects in urban areas

• Facilitate integrated development plans that can cope better with heatwave conditions

• Implementationof        Risk    TransferArrangements    

including multi-hazard insurance for life and property.

Capacity Development

• Train key officials regarding pre, during and post heat- wave season activities

• Training for deployment of Rapid Medical Response Teams

• Training on heat-wave specific health care for vulnerable groups

• Inclusion of heat wave and similar issues in various curriculum

• Promoting awareness, alertness and preparedness

• Promoting the planning and execution of emergency drills

• Promoting skill development for hazard resistant construction with emphasis on protection from heat in heat-wave prone areas for different types of housing and infrastructure.

• AHeat Code will outline the criteria for declaring heatwaves and will develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be used during heatwaves, such as work-hour limits and relief measures in public places and hospitals. The heat code will also give the district administration the authority to declare an emergency, halt outdoor activities, and allocate resources for heat relief.