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A heat wave over Poland. The annual temperature record was broken on Saturday. 35,5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Świnoujście. Today, thermometers will also show 35 degrees – in the shade. Doctors call for caution – heat can be dangerous not only for children and seniors. A healthy young person can also become their victim. What could happen?
Heat over Poland. Appeal of doctors and emergency services
This year’s temperature records have been broken. On Saturday, June 19, it was warmest in Świnoujście. – There, the thermometers showed 35,5 degrees. Słubice came second with a value of 35,2 degrees C. It was equally hot in Dziwnów (West Pomeranian Voivodeship) – 34,8 degrees Celsius, says Grzegorz Walijewski, the press spokesman and synoptic officer of the IMGW. After the hot Saturday night, it will be difficult to find a break. Sunday is to be the hottest day of the ending week, thermometers will show up to 35 degrees in the shade.
Due to the heat wave over Poland, the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued warnings that are valid until Monday, the end of the day. The central and western parts of the country are mostly covered by second-degree warnings, while the east is covered by first-degree warnings. Lubuskie Voivodeship is marked with a third degree alert – there the risk of heat is greatest.
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Doctors and emergency services also warn against heat, calling for special attention. High temperatures can be dangerous not only for young children and seniors. – As a result of disregarding the threat, a healthy young person may also become a victim – says prof. Zenon Brzoza, head of the Department of Internal Diseases of the University Teaching Hospital in Opole.
What exactly can happen and what should not be forgotten when the heat is pouring down from the sky?
The heat. What happens in a hot car? Experiment from Wrocław
An experiment conducted at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology in 2019 showed that the temperature in a passenger car exposed to sunlight quickly reaches 40 degrees Celsius, and vehicle equipment can heat up to over 60 degrees.
– The conditions in a closed and parked car in the sun for a long time are extreme. They are dangerous to the health and even life of anyone who spends too long in them – warns prof. Zenon Brzoza. – We pay attention to young children, and rightly so, because they cannot tell us how they feel. However, this risk also applies to the elderly and those who suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension or have problems with the respiratory system.
– The sight of a sleeping person in a closed car in the current weather should attract our attention, even if he is in the prime of life and does not seem ill at first glance – reminds the doctor.
In a car standing in the heat, a tilted window will not help
What are the legal aspects of a situation in which we witness an unconscious person being found in a closed vehicle? Dariusz Świątczak from the press office of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Opole recalls.
– First of all, we do not leave children or animals in the car park. In a locked car standing in the heat, a tilted window will not help. In any such case, we cannot be passive. Let’s try to open the door and check if the person locked in the car is okay. Let’s see if we can ask someone for help, such as a security guard or store staff. If this does not work, we immediately notify the appropriate services by calling the emergency number 112 – says the policeman and advises: – If we find that a child or an animal staying in the car for a longer period is a threat to its life, we have the right to use any means necessary to get it out of the vehicle, including breaking the window.
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The policeman reminds that each of us has an obligation to help other people. Pursuant to Art. 162 of the Penal Code, a penalty of up to three years in prison for failing to provide assistance in the event of an immediate threat to human life or health.
– We do not encourage anyone to start a rescue operation by breaking windows or destroying someone else’s property, but after exhausting the other measures I mentioned earlier, and in a situation where we see a real threat to the life of a human or animal, we are already dealing with a state of higher necessity – reminds Dariusz Świątczak.
The heat. A doctor with the tragic consequences of cooling the body too quickly
Professor Zenon Brzoza points to another other danger related to heat – this time resulting from cooling too quickly on a hot day (i.e. when we are dealing with the so-called thermal contrasts).
– If someone is basking in the sun for a long time and suddenly decides to jump into the water to cool down, it may even lead to cardiac arrest – warns the specialist. – While cooling your body, try to do it gradually, in stages. A sharp change in temperature is not only a matter of comfort, but also health, and even our life.
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We deal with a similar situation when driving a car that has warmed up at a standstill. – Before we start the journey, let’s thoroughly ventilate the vehicle – so that hot air comes out of its interior before we take a seat behind the wheel – advises the professor.
Finally, a few more tips from a specialist: – In hot weather, avoid physical exertion and do not stay in open spaces unnecessarily. Better to stay in the shade and postpone physical activity until the early morning or evening hours. And remember about the need to constantly hydrate the body with neutral or isotonic drinks. The human body requires water to cool itself down effectively. Preferably not too cold and drunk often, in small amounts – reminds prof. Birch.
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