Older folks are very vunerable during heat waves and it isn’t uncommon for deaths to occur in large cities in North America but the numbers are relatively few. It always makes the news in part because the authorities and the press draw attention to related hazards such as air quality, tips to minimize heat stress and so on. Cooling off stations are even avalible in some cities.
Why such a high death toll in France and other countries given the fact that universal heath care is standard fare throughout Europe? It seems that the heat related death toll in France could reach 10,000!
Sauron
By: Hand87_5 - 22nd August 2003 at 19:33
Good question.
The last figures are above 13000.
1)First of all , I guess the exeptional caracter of this heat wave is certainly the main reason. Such a high temperature 40°C and above during 2 or 3 weeks didn’t exist in the records.
2) France climate is tempered : not too cold winters and not too hot summers (except this year of course) There fore Air conditionning is not widly used in private homes.
3) August in France is traditionnaly vacation time. It means that hospitals , shelters etc run with reduced staff.
4) Since a decade the different gouvernement , in order to cut the costs have reduced the budget of the hospitals and senior shelters : what a big success.
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August 22, 2003 at 6:58 pm