A visual representation

Heat Waves: understanding Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability

The Problem…..

Heat waves result in a significant increase in morbidity and mortality amongst vulnerable populations

evidence suggests that vulnerability will increase over time through a combination of social, economic and health related factors.

The Hazard: a visual context

Sustained periods of above average temperatures….

Doesn’t cool down at night…..

Absorption of heat by the urban environment….

Conditions out of context for a given community….

The Risks: let’s try to understand….

Global Warming…the earth is warming up…

Urban heat islands…a “cement jungle”

Lack of Air Conditioning…its not a luxury!

Lack of shade…no oasis?

Poor housing conditions…getting out of the kitchen does not mean what you might think!

Who is Vulnerable?

The elderly…..

Disabled….

Homeless…

Mentally ill and Socially isolated….

Occupational Vulnerability

How are we Vulnerable?Climate Change….

Urban inhabitants….

Heat related illness….

Increase in violent behavior….

Exacerbation of Chronic Disease

In summary…. A hazard is not a disaster without risk and vulnerable

populations

The images within this slideshow are designed twofold:

to help explain the problem

and to provoke your imagination to seek solutions to this conundrum!

Please stay with us…and help us to create some recommendations regarding heat waves in a disaster management context!