Heatwave emergency phones help victims of heat

If heat damages your health, use emergency call points on the highways

18/08/2012

This weekend expect meteorologists in Germany a record heat of over 38 degrees. The return trip traffic will create miles of congestion on the highways. The emergency call center of car insurers in Hamburg advises victims of heat in an emergency to use emergency phones along the motorway routes when medical assistance is needed. „The pillars should also be used by the victims of the heat“.

In the car standing overheating threatens
Thousands of people will spend their time in the car traffic this weekend. For the weekend, temperatures of 38 to 40 degrees have been announced in many parts of Germany. Because in a standing car overheating and internal dehydration can happen quickly, travelers should know that even medical emergencies can be brought about via the emergency call boxes. The control center will initiate appropriate assistance in the event of an emergency call.

"Our emergency call center is technically and personally prepared for the upcoming hot weekend." If required, we immediately establish direct contact with the nearest police or emergency response center, which then ensures quick assistance through their rescue services, "explained Heiko Beermann, Managing Director of GDV Dienstleistungs-GmbH that manages the emergency call center.

Heat on the weekend with values ​​of up to 40 degrees
For the Rhine rail even values ​​of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius are announced. "Due to the end of the school holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia, the return journey to the Benelux countries and the ongoing school holidays in seven federal states, the dusty north-south connections there will also be especially busy", predicts Beermann. The expert recommends driving around typical routes that are often affected by car traffic. In addition, the trip should take place as early as possible in the early morning or late evening. „Definitely avoid the hottest times of the day for rides.“ For all travelers: „To take a large supply of drinks to avoid dehydration“.

Initiate an emergency call at the first sign
Show even the slightest signs of malaise, headache, nausea, dizziness or weakness, according to the emergency call experts „take no risks“. Instead, sufferers should „to drive to the nearest rest area or the next parking lot and take a break.“ In an emergency stop at the emergency call people should leave the highway immediately and stand behind the guardrail. Heat victims are as much as possible left over by fellow travelers. Until the arrival of an ambulance, patients should be provided with first aid.

Children and old people at risk
„The predicted weekend temperatures can be very stressful, especially for infants, toddlers, the chronically ill as well as elderly and dependent people.“ If the trips take a long time, the cars are heated up by the heat, they suffer from a lack of fluid and people experience stress by standing in traffic for a long time, the burden on those affected increases dramatically, according to Beermann. Therefore, special attention should be paid to this group of people, also recommends the general practitioner. Tobias Schmidt from Dortmund. „The most important thing is to avoid direct sunlight and to ensure sufficient hydration“, so the doctor. (Sb)

Also read:
Health: congestion makes you sick
Tourists bring exotic diseases

Picture: Grey59