Protective Measures for Kids Against Intense City Heat
Stuttgart is taking proactive steps to protect its residents, particularly children, pregnant women, and the elderly, from excessive heat stress and its associated health risks. The city has announced a Heat Action Plan, which includes specific measures for kindergartens and schools.
The plan focuses on creating safe indoor environments, providing adequate hydration, adjusting schedules, and raising awareness among caregivers and staff to reduce heat exposure and health consequences for these vulnerable groups.
Key elements of the Heat Action Plan include lowering indoor temperatures, adjusting daily activity schedules, ensuring frequent hydration, training staff and parents on recognising signs of heat stress, implementing cooling protocols, and conducting communication and information campaigns.
To prevent overheating of buildings, the plan also includes measures to provide cool retreat spaces and sufficient shade in outdoor areas. Kindergarten teams are encouraged to pay attention to training the staff, informing the parents, and involving the children in the development and implementation of measures.
A model heat protection plan for kindergartens has been developed, addressing the health and safety of children and good working conditions for specialists. Factsheets and heat flyers are to be developed and distributed specifically to kindergartens and schools.
Urban planning is also addressed in the Heat Action Plan, with trees being planted specifically in areas where people spend more time, such as playgrounds and seating areas, to provide shade. The topic of heat protection will be integrated into existing projects and events, such as parent lectures and the planned project "Climate action day at schools".
Infants and toddlers are particularly susceptible to high temperatures, as they overheat faster, have a higher metabolism, and lose fluids more easily, increasing the risk of dehydration. Tropical nights, where the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees, can lead to children sleeping much worse and increase the risk of exhaustion and health problems.
While no specific Stuttgart-based Heat Action Plan details for kindergartens and schools were found, these measures align with internationally recognized best practices for protecting vulnerable populations during heat waves. For more detailed information about Stuttgart's Heat Action Plan, contacting the city's public health department or environmental office is recommended.
- Stuttgart's Heat Action Plan also targets the environment, with the planting of trees in popular outdoor areas to combat climate change and provide shade, ensuring the health and wellness of its residents and creating a suitable fitness-and-exercise environment.
- The Heat Action Plan offers mental-health support, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness on recognizing signs of heat stress and equipping staff and parents with suitable cooling protocols to handle emergencies that may arise.
- As part of the Heat Action Plan, Stuttgart encourages parenting best practices by incorporating heat protection education into existing parent lectures and planned events like "Climate action day at schools," promoting family-health and the well-being of future generations.
- The Heat Action Plan goes beyond temperature management by emphasizing the importance of environmental-science education, empowering citizens to understand the impacts and signs of climate change on their community and take action to mitigate its effects.
- In addition to addressing heat stress risks, the Heat Action Plan acknowledges the importance of good sleep for overall health, particularly in younger populations, and aims to minimize tropical nights by implementing measures to lower indoor temperatures and provide safe refuge during hot weather.
