With the weather forecast looking good and lots of events taking place, West Midlands Ambulance Service is warning people to keep their cool during what is expected to be a busy weekend for everyone.
Last weekend enjoyed sunshine with temperatures reaching the upper twenties celsius. For ambulance crews it was a very busy one with a number of road traffic collisions and other serious injuries sustained by people partaking in outdoor activities.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun but we want people to enjoy themselves safely. When the weather is good, there is greater demand on both the ambulance service and the NHS as a whole, particularly to alcohol-related incidents and heat-related health problems such as respiratory and cardiac complaints.
“We expect this weekend to, again, be a mainly sunny one and the pollen forecast is high. We expect a lot of people to take advantage of the weather and enjoy the great outdoors. If you do, take the necessary precautions of wearing sunblock, loose-fitting clothes and a hat and drinking plenty of fluids. If you are out on foot, wear appropriate footwear, particularly if you are out for a country walk or a hike. We would also remind the public to use supervised swimming pools if they want to go for a swim. No matter how tempting it is to cool off in rivers and lakes, this is very dangerous.
“If you are hitting the roads, please drive carefully and prepare for your journey. If it is expected to be a long one, take food and drinks and remember to break the journey up. Last week we had a number of serious road traffic collisions involving motorcycles. We would ask bikers to be careful and wear appropriate safety clothing, and equally ask car drivers to look out for bikers as the number on the road will be significantly higher in the good weather.
“For many, this will be the first weekend after their pay-day, so we expect pubs and clubs to be busy too, but remember, in the sun and the heat, caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate you.”
Further health advice can be found on from NHS Direct via www.nhs.uk or 0845 46 47, or from your pharmacist
