Victoria has a number of days when it is extremely hot. This can be a dangerous time for people in the community who are young, have a disability or are elderly.

When it is hot it's important that you keep yourself and your family safe while also checking on people you know who are older and or who have a disability.

When the temperature is hot:

• Drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If your doctor normally limits your fluids, ask them how much you should drink during hot weather
• Keep yourself cool by using wet towels, putting your feet in cool water and taking cool (not cold) showers
• Spend as much time as possible in cool or air-conditioned buildings like shopping centres, libraries, cinemas or community centres
• Block out the sun at home during the day by closing curtains and blinds
• Open the windows when there is a cool breeze
• Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day
• Cancel or postpone outings. If you absolutely must go out, stay in the shade and take plenty of water with you
• Wear a hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing made from natural fibres like cotton and linen
• Eat smaller meals more often and cold meals such as salads
• Make sure that food that needs refrigeration is properly stored
• Avoid heavy activity like sport, renovating and gardening
• Download the VicEmergency app to your smart phone for extreme heat notifications
• Watch or listen to news reports to find out more information during extreme heat

Language	Staying safe in the heat
English	DHHS	Staying healthy in the heat
	NSW Multi-Cultural Health Communication Service	Beat the heat health tips
	DHHS	Extreme heat - what to do to survive the heat
Simplified Chinese 简体中文	DHHS	Staying healthy in the heat
Cantonese	DHHS	Heat health - Audio file
Mandarin	DHHS	Heat health - Audio file
Other Languages	DHHS	How to cope and stay safe in the heat