Rethinking local resilience for extreme heat events

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to provide insights into how local resilience structures in England can be leveraged to deliver a whole-of-society approach to managing a national response to extreme heat events during summer months.

Study design: A communication based on the literature review of currently available research on health emergency response and extreme heat events in England.

Methods: This communication draws insights from the authors' research programmes, which examined national-level public health emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic and literature review of the latest available English research on health and extreme heat events.

Results: Periods of extreme heat are on the rise in England. Local resilience forums (LRFs), due to their multiagency nature, offer a shared situational awareness and understanding of the need in their local communities. Such information is critical to ensure messaging about heat risks and available resources are tailored to reach specific targeted groups within their communities. Scenario planning and adaptation efforts require a more local articulation which LRFs are well placed to manage.

Conclusions: LRFs are well suited as key structures in the English emergency response to extreme heat events. We suggest that English public health and hospital organisations, working with community partners via the LRFs, must develop their thinking about pressures from adverse weather in the summer months.

Keywords: Climate change; Emergency planning; Extreme heat events; Extreme weather; Local resilience.