A yellow health warning is in place for heat across the country
There were worrying scenes in London yesterday as a Cavalry Guard member fainted in public whilst they were on duty in the roasting heat.
The UK is experiencing a heatwave at the moment, as temperatures across the nation soar into the high 20Cs, with some areas even seeing the mercury go behind 30C.
This prompted the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency to issue a yellow health alert indicating that the extreme weather conditions could pose a risk to people’s health.
The warning is in place until Thursday.
One of the main risks the heat poses is heat stroke. As the roasting weather continues, people are being urged to stay hydrated and not spend too long in the direct sun.
For one Cavalry Guard though, the heat seemed to prove too much during their shift in London yesterday (June 25).
Whilst they took part in a procession rehearsal on the Mall ahead of the state visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan, they are thought to have fainted as a result of the heat.
Concerning photos show the man lying face down on the ground as members of the public look on.
One of his colleagues is then seen coming over to help him up, and he is then able to walk away.
The NHS states that the main signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke are:
- tiredness
- dizziness
- headache
- feeling sick or being sick
- excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy or getting a heat rash
- cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
- fast breathing or heartbeat
- a high temperature
- being very thirsty
- weakness
If someone has heat exhaustion, or you suspect they do, you should:
- Move them to a cool place.
- Remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks.
- Get them to drink a sports or rehydration drink, or cool water.
- Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs, wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck are good too.
Stay with them until they’re better, which should be within half an hour.
