2023/2024’s summer was ‘the third hottest summer on record’, and the summer we’ve just entered is expected to rank up there, too, with some experts telling us to prepare for the ‘hottest summer on record’.
This means ice water, sunscreen and lots of air-con.
But Aussie summers of this caliber need a little more effort to prepare beyond the typical ‘slip, slop, slap, seek and slide’.
Read along to discover how you can stay cool, safe and unburnt this summer.
Prepare Your Home for the Heat
Now’s the time to make a cooling system upgrade in your home if yours isn’t holding up as well as it should be.
For people in warmer climates, make sure your air con has been serviced and is running efficiently.
For cooler climates like Tasmania and Victoria, you might not need as extensive of a cooling system throughout your home.
Make sure you have one room that is able to be cooled, either with an air con or fan.
If you’re planning for a new ceiling fan installation in Melbourne or regional Victoria, it’s best to finalise your install job before the seasonal peak in late December and early January.
Beyond a cooling system, outdoor shade, extra greenery and house insulation can help keep your house cooler in the summer.
You can also keep your blinds or curtains shut when direct sunlight is hitting the windows and leave doors and windows open to help a breeze cool down the space.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
Beyond having suncream, water, and a first aid kit in your car, you’ll want to have a special kit in your house for bushfires and other emergencies.
For bushfires specifically, the Department of Fires and Emergency Services recommends having a bag with the following:
- Your valuable documents (i.e. passports, birth certificates and marriage licenses)
- Valuable and sentimental items, such as your photo albums and jewelry
- Hygiene items and clothing for everyone.
- A first aid kit (it’s also useful to have one in your car)
- Food and drink for the trip for both your family and your pets
- Torches, batteries and a phone charger
On the day of an emergency event, you’ll want to pack more immediate items, such as:
- Wallets, phones, handbags and keys
- Medicine, epipens and inhalers
- Laptops, tablets and chargers
- Picnic set or basic cutlery
- Pet items, such as a leash or cage
Buy Cooling Items
Everything from ice cream to hand fans can help with the heat, and on a real scorcher, you’ll be glad to have both.
You’ll also want to have cooler bags on hand for not just your drinks but heat-sensitive items like your medicine or even rolls of film.
With some prepped eskies, you can evacuate with medical essentials like insulin or other medications that require controlled storage conditions.
Consider Your Pets
Even if you like to keep your pets inside and under the air-con, you’ll want to have their water bowl full.
For outside pets, there’s more to consider.
They’ll need a cool place to shelter too, and if they’re the type of pet that sheds they’ll need to be brushed and washed so that their fur isn’t too thick for the heat.
Pets that don’t shed but have thick hair might need to have a haircut at a groomer to reduce their coat and stay cooler, or kept inside during especially hot days.
Understanding SPF, UV, and How to Use Sunscreen Effectively
The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) tells you how long you can be in the sun with the suncream on before burning.
For example, with SPF 15 on, it will take fifteen times longer to burn than without sunscreen.
That might sound impressive, but Australia has some of the highest UV ratings in the world, and people can burn in just 11 minutes in the sun.
Because of this, you’ll want to opt for 30+ SPF whenever you’re going out into the sun this summer.
The UltraViolet light rating (UV) is the strength of the damaging rays.
The Australian Government recommends using sunblock at UV 3 and above, but for people who are often in the sun, always using suncream is recommended.
This is because damage from UVA radiation is cumulative, and penetrates more than skin deep.
This adds up over time and causes wrinkles, and skin cancer.
So, to use sunblock effectively, apply SPF30+, water-proof, broad spectrum (which stops both skin and tissue damage) sunscreen 20 minutes before going out into the sun.
Find Places Outside of Your Home to Stay Cool
No matter how hot the summer, you’ll want to go out and enjoy the sun.
Whether that means hiking, surfing, playing tennis, or just sunbathing.
It’s the best time of year to do many of these, but with these predicted heatwaves, you’ll want to be wary.
Be sunsmart and remember moderation.
One trick to do this is to know where you can find shelter and air conditioning during the day.
Places like cafes and shopping centres are great for this but don’t forget about public spaces too.
Community centres, libraries, and movie theatres can be another great place to hide out from the heat.
Stay Sun Safe this Coming Summer
As an Aussie, you’ll already know that the summer sun is nothing to mess with (“ Slip, Slop, Slap” ), but with the potential of another heatwave on the horizon, you’ll want to prepare anyway.
You can do this big or small; fill your fridge with cool drinks, or upgrade your house's cooling systems.
However you do it, you’ll be glad to have those preparations around when that summer sun hits.