Neighbourly love wanted during heatwave

Get to know your neighbours, medical officials say, as a heatwave sweats across
South Australia and pushes deeper into Victorian bushland.
With Adelaide sweltering above 40 Celsius degrees on Saturday and Melbourne expected
to reach 41C by Monday, doctors and paramedics are urging everyone to check in on
their neighbours for signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Authorities are worried about a possible influx of heat-related deaths and illnesses
that can spike during long stretches of high temperatures.
Last year, nearly 400 people died from the heat in Victoria in the scorching week of
40C degree days leading up to the February Black Saturday bushfires.
"We don't want a repeat of that," said Paul Holman, operations manager for Ambulance
Victoria as he stressed water and heat safety messages beside a Melbourne pool.
"If you have elderly relatives, or even neighbours, check on those neighbours, make
sure that they're okay," he said.
He stressed the chronically ill and elderly are most at risk during the high heat
threat.
Dr Harry Hemley, Victoria president of the Australian Medical Association, agreed by
saying a time of adversity provided a great opportunity for neighbours to get to
know each other.
"If you've got a pool, why not invite the neighbours to come around?" he said in a
statement.
The message was repeated by South Australian Ambulance Service duty director Keith
Driscoll who said it was an opportune time to make contact with elderly relatives,
friends and neighbours, especially if they live alone.
Residents are urged to stay indoors, wear a hat, drink plenty of water and avoid
exercise. Those that head to the pool should never swim alone and keep a close eye
on children.
The neighbourly safety messages came as an extreme heat warning was issued by the
South Australian State Emergency Service, putting firefighters on high alert.
The state's west coast has been rated as an extreme bushfire risk while a severe
risk has been declared for the Mt Lofty, mid-north, Flinders and eastern Eyre
Peninsula.
Temperatures above 40C are forecast all over the state with only some coastal areas
in the southeast getting some respite.
The weather has led to the cancellation of cricket matches.
The temperature is not expected to drop below 27 overnight and below 30 between
Sunday and Monday before cooler weather arrives on Tuesday.
Northerly winds are bring the extreme heat from inland Australia to the southern
coast of the country.
In Victoria, firefighters are bracing for the high temperatures and possible
lightning strikes to reach their peak on Monday.
Neil Bumpstead, Country Fire Authority (CFA) state duty officer, said the conditions
will be extreme, but not as bad as Black Saturday.
"We don't believe so," he told AAP.
"It will be quite severe, up to 40 degrees, but the wind will not be the 40-70km/h
and the exceptional circumstances and weather."
All current fires in the state are under control, including big fires at Lake Mokoan
in northeast.
Fire danger ratings will jump from Very High on Saturday to Extreme in most parts of
the state.