Thirteen panellists explored a plausible scenario for 2025 of an extended three week heat wave, followed by severe storms and a bushfire. Panellists, who included representatives from a local school, the SES, Red Cross and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, explored how the South Australian community would prepare for and respond to such an event.
Over 250 people attended, hearing about the impacts of heatwaves on communities, from increased hospital admissions from heatstroke, to melting roads and the need for heat refuges such as libraries and shopping centres to become pet-friendly.
Red Cross Disaster Resilience Coordinator Michael Arman said the take home message from the event was that we know enough to start taking action to prepare for life in a warmer climate.
“Climate change means that Adelaide’s climate will be more like Port Pirie’s climate by the end of the century, with longer and more frequent heatwaves, and less rain.