Heat Dome Bakes Western Europe

A suffocating heat dome is covering much of Europe creating extremely dangerous conditions. Governments in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, as well as other countries, have issued dire warnings to their populations.

According to a CNN report, only 20 percent of European homes have air conditioning. In traditionally hotter areas, such as much of Spain and Italy, homes are designed to be cooler with thick walls and small windows combined with layouts to enhance air flow—though the architectural approach has only limited effects in a heat wave like this one. And in traditionally cooler climate areas such as England and Wales, the Associated Press (AP) reported that many buildings are designed to trap heat inside.

Consider these heat wave related outcomes:

• The French weather service said Tuesday had the highest average temperature ever recorded in the country.
  
  
• As people seek respite from the heat, the number of drownings in France has soared.
  
  
• On Monday, Spain set a new record for the highest average temperature in June. The record was broken on Tuesday.
  
  
• More than 1,000 schools in the UK closed early or closed all together.
  
  
• French news agency AFP reported that Greenpeace said it measured the temperature of the asphalt in areas around Rome’s Termini train station at 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit).
  
  

The heat is having dramatic impacts on businesses as well. Cooling systems failed at data centers belonging to Google and Oracle near London. Both were able to fix the issues relatively quickly with only small effects for their customers. However, the nature of data centers—thousands of computers generating significant heat that must operate at cooler temperatures to avoid frying the equipment—has the sector on edge.

“Paul Hone, of Redcentric, which operates data centers in Harrogate, London, Reading and Cambridge, told the BBC that the firm had put its disaster recovery plan into action on Monday,” the BBC reported. “Mr. Hone added that while data centers are designed to withstand hot weather, the heat wave's temperatures would be at the ‘upper end of design expectations for a lot of data center operators.’”

Sectors that work outside, such as construction and agriculture, have changed their hours dramatically, with more night work or starting hours earlier than prior to the heat wave, so that shifts end before the hottest parts of days.

As Security Management Associate Editor Sara Mosqueda pointed out in an article last year, many security patrols also must contend with environmental elements, particularly when large campuses or parking areas need patrolling.

The article says security managers overseeing any security officers who could be exposed to high temperatures should develop a heat protocol to protect the officers. The protocol should take advantage of any relief that is or can be made available. Ensuring plenty of hydration is one key. If there are air conditioned areas that can be accessed during patrols, then managers should ensure time is given to cool down in such areas. Shorter shifts may be called for, as well as rides to and from far-flung areas of patrol.

Another idea is mandatory heat-related illness identification training. “Implementing and leveraging a heat illness awareness and prevention plan can be a valuable investment,” Mosqueda wrote. “Training ahead of those warmer days should include recognizing the early signs of heat stress, such as dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, and confusion.”

Clothing is another area that needs to be considered. Many frontline security personnel wear uniforms that are inappropriate for extreme heat situations. Before ordering the all-white, breathable synthetics as a replacement, do some homework. Loose-fitting, dark, cotton clothing may actually keep the skin cooler in some settings.

The global scientific consensus is that global warming has created climate change that generates more extremes. The heat dome over Europe is just the latest example. According to the European Environment Agency, extreme weather events have caused 441,000 deaths in the last 45 years. “Heatwaves cause around 95 percent of the deaths. They are becoming longer, more frequent and intense, increasing health risks, especially for vulnerable people.”

Europe is trying to adapt. The New York Times noted that the current heat wave, which is recalling memories of a 2003 heat wave that killed thousands, is giving Europe the chance to test protective protocols it put in place after the 2003 event.

“This time around, cities across France opened up cooling spaces in town halls, museums, and libraries,” the Times reported. “Paris permitted swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin. Welfare coordinators did their check-ins. Hundreds of schools were closed.”

The question scientists are trying to explore is: How bad can it get?