Manchester residents warned of 5 common mistakes made during heatwave

The North West Ambulance Service has urged Manchester residents to stay safe in heatwave conditions as the region is set to bake in the sun this week

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Manchester residents have been warned of five common mistakes made during heatwaves by the ambulance service as the region is forecast to reach 28C today.

According to the Met Office, Manchester will climb to 28C on Tuesday, before soaring to the 30s by Thursday, with heat health alerts in place.

Amber heat health alerts have been issued for most of England including the North West, starting from 9am on Tuesday and lasting until Friday evening.

The North West Ambulance Service have urged locals to ‘make a few simple changes’ that can ‘help keep you, your family and others safe over the next few days’.

The emergency service warn that one of the biggest mistakes is waiting until you are thirsty to hydrate.

At this point you will already be dehydrated and playing catch up, so instead you should make sure you’re continually drinking water over the next few days.

The second mistake Manchester residents are urged to avoid is jumping into water to cool down, including ponds and lakes.

The recent bouts of hot weather has seen an increase in water deaths as over 15 people have drowned in the UK this summer.

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A spokesperson for the service said: “There’s hidden obstacles and currents under the water,” as they urged Mancunians to avoid getting into danger.

The third biggest error residents were urged to avoid was ignoring early signs of heat exhaustion.

Heat exhaustion can present itself in symptoms including vomiting, excessive sweating and feeling weak. The North West Ambulance serviced added to be especially aware of these signs “if out exercising.”

The fourth oversight that residents have been told to avoid in the scorching temperatures is “leaving adults, children or pets in cars” as “only a couple of minutes can cause harm”.

The warning comes after two children were found dead in a car in France in an earlier heatwave this year.

The last thing that people have been urged to do is ensure that you look out for vulnerable people. This includes adults, young children and babies.

Vulnerable people are more prone to heat exhaustion and the excessive high temperatures could have major impacts on their health so it is vital to check in with those around you.

The North West Ambulance Service added: “If you do need us, we’re here. For life-threatening emergencies, call 999. For everything else, use NHS 111 online.”