"Our summers are getting hotter and hotter. This year, too, one heat record is chasing another. Climate change is tangible and visible. We are making great efforts to advance climate protection and are also taking care of climate adaptation so that people are protected in the best possible way. Because health needs climate protection and climate adaptation. Our HAP is part of adaptation," says District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier. "In doing so, we want to support those citizens who need our help the most - such as older people and children."
Ministry welcomes the pioneering role of the Ludwigsburg district
"The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Integration welcomes the district's commitment and pioneering role," replies Dr. Maylin Meincke, Head of the Climate Change and Health Competence Centre at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Integration. "The Conference of Health Ministers of the Federal States (GMK) had already emphasized the importance of municipal heat action plans in 2020 and called for them to be drawn up quickly in order to protect the health of the population from the effects of heat. A municipal heat action plan is a good tool for sensitizing everyone to heat, bringing all key players to the table and initiating long-term measures to protect people's health from heat"
Experts develop HAP in eight meetings
The "Round Table on Heat Protection in the Ludwigsburg District" was launched in July 2022 in a joint initiative by Dr. Robin Maitra, Climate Protection Officer of the Baden-Württemberg Medical Association, and Dr. Karlin Stark, Head of the Ludwigsburg Health Department. Representatives from various sectors were involved in the eight meetings that have now resulted in the HAP for the district of Ludwigsburg: Doctors, clinics, outpatient care services, inpatient care homes, civil protection, schools, local authorities, pharmacies and health insurance companies.
Cool map shows citizens cool places in the district on hot days
"One of the core elements of our HAP is to inform, educate and raise awareness among the population. To this end, we provide extensive material and links on our website," explains Dr. Stark. On the Ludwigsburg District Office website, a separate sub-section has been created containing target group-specific information on heat and health. "Here we answer questions such as: What are the effects of heat on the body? What symptoms should I look out for? What should I do if I recognize symptoms of heat stress in myself or in friends/relatives? What can I do to prevent it?" continues Dr. Stark. "Our FAQ in particular provides a brief and concise summary of the most important information on the topic of heat." Information sheets and action plans are available to download here. Reference is also made to the Cool Map for the district, which was created as part of the heat action plan. "The Cool Map is easy to use and shows where cool places are located throughout the district. The Cool Map can be designed by the citizens themselves. They can record cool places very quickly and easily using a simple recording tool," explains Dr. Stark. The Cool Map also shows whether there is a drinking fountain or a refill station.
Concrete action plans for schools, daycare centers and care facilities
When the heat action plan was drawn up, an alert chain was also defined, via which facilities that deal with particularly vulnerable groups of people receive an email informing them about periods of heat that are relevant to their health.
Another feature of the heat action plan is that it contains action plans for health-related heat protection in facilities where particularly heat-prone groups are cared for - such as doctors' surgeries, schools or care homes. "The action plans developed by the Round Table participants for their area of activity can be adopted by other facilities," explains Dr. Maitra. "It takes very little effort to adapt and quickly implement the heat action plans in other facilities, enabling them to be disseminated quickly at district level."
HAP to actively support local authorities with heat protection
"It was important to us to also provide our 39 municipalities with information that is suitable for taking into account the respective local situation," says District Administrator Allgaier. "The HAP lists the most important funding opportunities, legal bases and materials, such as the information sheets produced by the district office, an example of an information text on heat protection for the official gazette, flyers, brochures, posters and helpful websites for local authorities. With a manageable amount of effort, local authorities can thus provide their citizens with valuable information and promote various measures locally. Of course, the local authorities are also part of our alert chain," continued the district administrator, "our health department offers the local authorities advice and support in drawing up action plans if required, so we hope to provide citizens with good assistance in protecting themselves against heat."
The HAP of the Ludwigsburg district is available for download at the following link:
https://www.landkreis-ludwigsburg.de/de/gesundheit-veterinaerwesen/gesundheit/hitzeschutz/
Tips for citizens to take precautions against the heat in the coming summer
Similar to last year, it is likely to be very hot again this summer. Heat can have a very negative impact on our health and well-being. Before the summer and the next heatwave arrive, everyone should be as prepared as possible.
The following 10 tips will help you get through the heat in good health:
- Avoid the midday sun (11am - 4pm)
- Apply sun cream before going outside
- Use the morning and evening hours for activities such as shopping or sports
- Drink enough (water, unsweetened tea)
- Eat as light a meal as possible
- Switch off unnecessary devices (no stand-by mode)
- Moist cloths, spray bottles and cool showers or foot baths can cool you down
- Keep windows closed and darkened during the day
- Only ventilate at night or in the early morning
- Store medication in a dry place and avoid direct sunlight
