This month the Victorian Council of Social Services released a new report highlighting how people experiencing disadvantage are particularly at risk with heat stress. Extreme heat kills more Australians than any other form of natural disaster, and for some it makes life unbearable.
Many people work from home as well as live there, and how people sleep at night impacts how the perform work the next day — as well as the drive to and from work .
VCOSS note:
For some people a heatwave means blasting an air-conditioner all day or taking a dip at the local pool. For others, it means physical sickness, mental illness, financial hardship, family violence, social isolation, and being cut off from essential services. People are more vulnerable to heat if they:
– Are young or older
– Can’t afford air-conditioning or a car
– have arrived in Victoria recently or don’t speak English
– Live in a rental home or public housing
– Sleep rough (homeless)
– Are pregnant or experiencing family violence
– Work outside or have an insecure job
– Have a disability or health condition
Community services organisations are instrumental in helping people cope and keep cool.
They open up air-conditioned offices for people to shelter, call vulnerable clients to check on their welfare, and provide advice to clients about thermal comfort and energy usage. Organisations are rarely funded for this critical work.
You can read their report online, and hear from some of the community members who took part in their project on YouTube: