366
Communication with the public must be continuous.
Access to public buildings with air conditioning must be arranged.
Shelters must be opened, if necessary.
Drinking water distribution in the busiest centres of the community must be organised.
Major routes and public spaces must be watered down several times a day.
Logistical support, with special attention to the availability of equipment and manpower, must be established and operated continuously.
Stages of heatwave alerts, action items, and the raising of alerts
Level One (Heatwave Advisory)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 25 °C for at
least 1 day
Actions required: Within its own internal system, NPHMOS provides information
to its regional and micro-regional institutions. Local authorities will decide
whether to inform the public through local media.
Level Two (Stage 1 Alert)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 25 °C for at
least 3 days
Actions required: The Chief Medical Offi cer will use the institutional network of
NPHMOS to inform public health institutions, emergency services, doctors’ offi ces
and nurses’ stations within the primary healthcare network and local authorities
concerning the duration and degree of the heat alert. The task of the local authorities is to inform their own institutions (primarily those providing social services) to
warn members of the public to take preparatory measures to protect their health.
Level Three (Stage 2 Alert)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 27 °C for at
least 3 days
Actions required: The responsible authorities must verify that actions taken at Level
Two for the Stage 1 Alert are maintained. The public must be informed of the
Stage 2 Alert through the media and via the local authorities. Protective measures must be initiated by health care institutions, nursing homes, chariTab. institutions, crèches, nursery schools, day care centres, and summer camps.
Rapid alert system for heatwave alerts
The fi rst step is to set up a list of offi cials authorised to raise, and call off, a heatwave
or UV alert. The appropriate level of heatwave or UV alert will be raised, and called
off, by the Mayor, based on the alert issued by NPHMOS, the UV index values
published by the Red Cross, or both. Based on the weather forecasts made by the
Hungarian Meteorological Service, the Chief Medical Offi cer and NPHMOS will
issue a warning. They will send a letter to inform the doctors’ offi ces and nurses’
stations of the primary healthcare network and the micro-regional local authorities
concerning the duration and stage of the heatwave alert, asking for their cooperation
G. Baranka et al.
Communication with the public must be continuous.
Access to public buildings with air conditioning must be arranged.
Shelters must be opened, if necessary.
Drinking water distribution in the busiest centres of the community must be organised.
Major routes and public spaces must be watered down several times a day.
Logistical support, with special attention to the availability of equipment and manpower, must be established and operated continuously.
Stages of heatwave alerts, action items, and the raising of alerts
Level One (Heatwave Advisory)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 25 °C for at
least 1 day
Actions required: Within its own internal system, NPHMOS provides information
to its regional and micro-regional institutions. Local authorities will decide
whether to inform the public through local media.
Level Two (Stage 1 Alert)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 25 °C for at
least 3 days
Actions required: The Chief Medical Offi cer will use the institutional network of
NPHMOS to inform public health institutions, emergency services, doctors’ offi ces
and nurses’ stations within the primary healthcare network and local authorities
concerning the duration and degree of the heat alert. The task of the local authorities is to inform their own institutions (primarily those providing social services) to
warn members of the public to take preparatory measures to protect their health.
Level Three (Stage 2 Alert)
Criteria: according to forecasts, the daily median temperatures exceed 27 °C for at
least 3 days
Actions required: The responsible authorities must verify that actions taken at Level
Two for the Stage 1 Alert are maintained. The public must be informed of the
Stage 2 Alert through the media and via the local authorities. Protective measures must be initiated by health care institutions, nursing homes, chariTab. institutions, crèches, nursery schools, day care centres, and summer camps.
Rapid alert system for heatwave alerts
The fi rst step is to set up a list of offi cials authorised to raise, and call off, a heatwave
or UV alert. The appropriate level of heatwave or UV alert will be raised, and called
off, by the Mayor, based on the alert issued by NPHMOS, the UV index values
published by the Red Cross, or both. Based on the weather forecasts made by the
Hungarian Meteorological Service, the Chief Medical Offi cer and NPHMOS will
issue a warning. They will send a letter to inform the doctors’ offi ces and nurses’
stations of the primary healthcare network and the micro-regional local authorities
concerning the duration and stage of the heatwave alert, asking for their cooperation
G. Baranka et al.