Table 1

Extreme heat warning in Adelaide, South Australia: description of the programme and interventions

Lead agenciesTriggers/thresholdInterventions
SA State Emergency Service (SES) is advised by Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). SES informs other agencies with one lead day3-day rolling forecast of average daily (minimum and maximum temperatures divided by two) temperatures (ADTs)
Threshold for an extreme heat warning is reached when ADT is 32°C or above (eg, 40°C daytime and 24°C night-time)		Before/start of summer and ongoing:

  • General heat health advice before summer.

  • Heat plan review of all relevant government and non-government agencies.

  • Meeting of all agencies before the summer season to discuss coordination issues.

  • Collaborative research agenda.

During the alert:

  • Activation of specific and coordinated extreme heat plans (local government, state government and non-government), see examples:

    • Public alerts and advice through media.

    • Continuous review of emergency, ambulance and other clinical response capabilities in the health sector.

    • Australian Red Cross provision of free support calls to registered vulnerable people.

  • ADT, average daily temperature.