Latest news with #extremeheat
Japan Times
5 hours ago
- Japan Times
Tokyo police embrace cooling gear to protect officers from extreme heat
As Japan faces another sweltering summer, Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department is rolling out new equipment to protect its officers from extreme heat. This year, the force began allowing officers to wear neck coolers and is also testing ventilated vests and distributing cooling sprays in a bid to ensure staff safety and maintain operational efficiency. The decision to introduce neck coolers followed requests from officers stationed at local police boxes. The coolers are designed to be worn discreetly beneath uniform collars, and were distributed in July to all staff, including those working indoors. 'It cools the area around the neck and improves work efficiency,' one officer noted in feedback provided to the department. In addition to the neckwear, some precincts are trialing lightweight, moisture-wicking polo shirt-style summer uniforms, along with vests equipped with built-in fans. The department will decide whether to fully adopt these items based on user feedback. Cooling sprays — applied directly to clothing — have also been distributed since last year and have been well received among officers. 'Using it after coming back from patrol instantly decreases how hot you feel,' one officer said. Tokyo police first began distributing heat-related equipment in 2019, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The initial step was permitting officers to carry plastic water bottles — a shift from prior norms. A police officer wears a vest equipped with a built-in fan in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 10. | Jiji 'At the time, there was this perception that officers shouldn't carry bottles or drink water while on duty,' said Yasuyoshi Hada, head of the department's regional affairs division. But in recent years, that attitude has changed. Hada said the department now receives messages from Tokyo residents expressing concern for officers working in the heat. 'Public understanding of the need for heat countermeasures has grown,' he said. The number of days when temperatures in Tokyo exceed 35 degrees Celsius continues to rise annually. Between June and September last year, 7,996 people were taken to the hospital by ambulance in the capital due to heatstroke or suspected cases of it, according to the Tokyo Fire Department. Within the Tokyo police force, there have been more than 50 cases of officers suffering heatstroke on the job for three consecutive years. 'If heat affects police activity, it impacts the daily lives of Tokyo residents,' Hada said. 'We want to keep improving conditions so officers can carry out their duties in comfort, while incorporating feedback.' Translated by The Japan Times
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Aussie cricket stars warn climate change could KILL the sport
A new report has revealed global climate conditions could end cricket as a sport, with players at risk due to extreme heat - and some Aussie stars are taking the warning to heart. The Hit for Six: The Danger Zone report, commissioned by FrontRunners, The British Association for Sustainability in Sport, Climate Central and The Next Test, highlights how players - from grassroots to international cricket stars - are potentially gambling with their lives by competing in conditions exceeding 37 degrees. The report revealed that in 2024 alone, Pakistan saw at least 83 days where cricket was played as the mercury soared past 37 degrees, which is the threshold beyond which outdoor activity becomes unsafe. India saw dangerous game-day temperatures on 52 days, while in Australia the figure was 46 days. The effects of increased temperatures include nausea, fatigue, breathlessness and cramps. In this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) - which features the likes of Aussies Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood - more than half of the 65 matches were played in conditions classified as either Extreme Caution or Danger on the Heat Index, a measure which combines air temperature and humidity to assess heat-related risk. The Hit for Six: The Danger Zone report also revealed many IPL games this year were played in dangerous conditions, with air pollution also a concern (pictured left, Aussie paceman Josh Hazlewood playing for Royal Challengers) 'We are witnessing a clear trend towards more frequent and more intense heat conditions for key cricketing nations,' Dr Mike Tipton, Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at the Extreme Environments Laboratory at the University of Portsmouth, outlined in the report. 'Players are now being asked to perform in environments that are not just uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous, with rising temperatures and humidity levels pushing human physiology toward its upper limits. 'This isn't just about performance — it's increasingly a question of player safety.' Air pollution is also a major factor in India, with research conducted by The Next Test revealing none of the 75 IPL matches this year had 'good' air quality. Australian all-rounder Ashton Turner has seen enough and called for change. 'I've seen the impact our changing climate can have on our game, from the debilitating air pollution in Delhi to the extreme temperatures we experience in our Australian summers,' he told the ABC. 'Ever-increasing temperatures are putting the game at risk and it's affecting everyone from players to coaches to umpires to spectators. 'We've seen elite athletes at the pinnacle of the sport be struck down from heat exhaustion, [so] how are the under-10's boys and girls meant to cope on hot days? Former Test star Simon Katich is on the same page, stating he is 'very concerned about the future of the game and younger generations being affected by extreme weather.' The report also recommended that national federations join Cricket Australia in implementing new heat policy guidelines. It comes after a cricketer in his 40s died during a match that was played in extreme heat in Adelaide earlier this year. Junaid Zafar Khan could not be revived after collapsing on the field during the game at Concordia College Oval, which went ahead with the mercury hitting 41.7 degrees.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
NHS must adapt to work better in heatwaves
Higher temperatures are becoming more frequent with climate change, and our patients are paying the price ('Profound concern' as scientists say extreme heat 'now the norm' in UK, 14 July). Increasingly, physicians are seeing more patients whose health is affected by extreme heat. During heat periods in the summer of 2022, there were 3,271 excess deaths in England and Wales, and last month's heatwave alone will cost hundreds of lives. Demand for healthcare will rise as a result of extreme temperatures. It is not only people's health at risk, but our ability to care for patients too. About 90% of hospitals in England alone are at risk of overheating, making it harder to keep services running safely. We need to get serious about adapting the NHS to cope with changing conditions. The climate crisis is a health crisis. Preventing disruption in the NHS, by investing in building upgrades, workforce preparedness and adequate resilience planning, is no longer optional – it is essential, so the NHS can continue to provide healthcare when Mark HarberSpecial adviser on healthcare sustainability and climate change, Royal College of Physicians Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Hot, dry weather has farmers scrambling to protect crops
Farmers across Canada are scrambling for solutions to keep their crops viable amid extreme heat and dry conditions. Paul Hollingsworth has more.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
FOX 35 Weather Impact Day: Heat advisories issued across Central Florida
The Brief Advisories have been issued across Central Florida for extreme heat. Highs look to top out in the mid-90s, but the higher dew points will make it feel close to 110°. Stay hydrated and try not to overexert yourself this afternoon. A ridge of high pressure is in control and that's one of the big reasons why the heat is our big story. We'll see partly cloudy conditions overnight with lows dipping back into the mid-70s for most locales. ORLANDO, Fla. - The heat is on once again and that is why the FOX 35 Storm Team has designated Saturday a Weather Impact Day. What will the weather look like today? What To Expect Advisories have been issued across Central Florida for extreme heat. Every county in the FOX 35/FOX 51 viewing area will be impacted. Highs look to top out in the mid-90s. The heat and humidity combo will be a tough one to combat, especially if you have outdoor plans. Stay hydrated and try not to overexert yourself this afternoon. A ridge of high pressure is in control and that's one of the big reasons why the heat is our big story. The higher dew points will make it feel close to 110 degrees, with the warmest part of the day peaking between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. An isolated storm or two is possible as the sea breezes interact, but with this ridge overhead, it'll be hard to get too much to develop. Most of the activity will likely form over the western portions of our viewing areas and fade by the evening. Overnight lows will dip back into the middle and upper 70s. What will the weather look like on Sunday? What To Expect We do it all over again on Sunday as highs rebound back into the mid-90s. Dew points in the middle to upper 70s will make it feel more like the upper 100s, which would likely mean we see another round of Heat Advisories issued. This ridge will continue to dominate our weather pattern, keeping things mainly dry and steamy. A stray storm or two is possible during the heating of the day, but they'll fade away into the evening as we lose the daytime-driven instability. We'll see partly cloudy conditions overnight with lows dipping back into the mid-70s for most locales. Tracking the Tropics Looking ahead The heat sticks around to kick off the workweek, but this area of high pressure starts to shift back to the west, allowing our weather pattern to become a little cooler and more unsettled. In fact, the same area of tropical moisture that used to be Invest-93L looks to round the ridge of move back toward Florida. Chances of showers and storms rise on Monday, but they still look to be scattered in nature. This area of low pressure then looks to bring more widespread rain to the region from Tuesday into midweek. With all the moisture in the air, flooding could be a concern, which is something we'll be watching closely. Another thing we'll be monitoring is if this low could reorganize into a depression as it works closer to the Gulf. Rain chances stay elevated through the late week with afternoon readings a little cooler, topping out near 90. We're also watching an area of showers and storms with a tropical wave in the Atlantic. This disturbance has a 20% chance of development over the next 7 days. It looks likely to encounter a more hostile environment later next week that should limit any sort of major development. Stay tuned! Orlando 7-Day Weather Forecast FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar and Live Weather Cameras Track live when storms move across your area using the FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar below. You can also watch as heavy rain moves across Central Florida on our Live Weather Cameras' page here. More radar maps from FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar Brevard County Flagler County Lake County Marion County Osceola County Orange County Polk County Seminole County Sumter County Volusia County U.S./National Radar The Source This story was written based off information shared by the FOX 35 Storm Team on July 19, 2025. Solve the daily Crossword
