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.
Read also:
- Overweight women undergoing IVF have a 47% higher chance of conceiving naturally post-weight loss
- What temperatures may make walking your canine companion uncomfortable?
- Eye treatments for Drusen: Insights and expansions
- Presidential Candidate Uses Controversial Tactics to Gain Vote, Prompting Outcry From Opponents and Politicians Alike
