We are in summer, so, just as we enjoy many other things that this time of year brings us, it is also our turn to suffer high temperatures. Above all, if we are facing one of the heat waves that usually “visit” us during the summer months.
If you want to know when the next one will arrive, you can set alerts on your mobile. But if you live in Madrid, the General Directorate of Public Health has its own channel to notify citizens the risk of high temperatures. We are going to explain how you can register.
Alerts by mail and/or SMS
Every year, from June 1 to September 15, the Community of Madrid activates the Surveillance Plan for the Effects of Heat Waves on Health. The program has three levels of risk, depending on the temperatures and their intensity over time:
- Level 0 (Normal): represented by a green sun, it is established when the maximum forecast for the current day and the following four does not exceed 36.5ºC. In these cases, no alert is produced.
- Level 1 (Caution): identified by a yellow sun, it is activated when at any time of day it exceeds the threshold of 36.5ºC -without exceeding 38.5ºC- and for a maximum of three consecutive days. In this case, Alert 1 is communicated to the health network and to different institutions to reinforce prevention measures.
- Level 2 (High Risk): symbolized by a red sun, it is determined when for the current day or any of the following four it is expected to exceed 38.5ºC, or when records above 36.5ºC occur for at least four consecutive days. In this case, Alert 2 is also communicated to the competent institutions.
As we said at the beginning, this plan also has channels for sending information health professionals, social services, security forces and citizens with the level of risk due to high temperatures.
In the case of citizens, in addition to consulting the daily ‘Heat Wave Information Bulletin’ on the Calor y Salud website, they can subscribe to an alert service for free by heat waves. There are two ways to sign up:
Subscription through the web
On the Extreme Temperatures and Health website, in the ‘Subscription’ section, you can choose one or both possible modalities at the same time:
- notification by email: you will receive the ‘Heat Wave Information Bulletin’ daily or every time the Alert for intense heat is activated, whichever you prefer.
- notification by SMS: You will receive a notification via SMS on your mobile when the Alert due to intense heat is activated and deactivated. In this case, you cannot choose the daily bulletin, only the alerts.
Through that same website, you can unsubscribe from the alert system or modify the periodicity in the case of email notifications. In any case, as of September 15, the subscription is automatically cancelled.
Subscription via mobile
To subscribe via mobile and receive the Alert for intense heat by SMS, you must send the text HIGH HEAT to the number 217035. Both this registration message and the received messages are free. If you want to unsubscribe, text BAJAHEAT to the same number.
And during the winter? There is also a Surveillance and Control Plan for the Effects of Cold on Health from December 1 to March 31 with the option of receiving free information when a cold wave is expected.
Cover Image | jumpstory
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