Heatwave Planning Guide: Development of heatwave plans in local councils in Victoria

The Heatwave Planning Guide is designed to assist local councils in addressing the risks associated with heatwaves at a community level. Internationally, heatwave plans are commonly used to minimise the health impact of heatwaves.

Heatwave planning includes:

• identifying vulnerable population groups and the risks they face
• identifying and agreeing on effective strategies, agency coordination and response planning to address those risks
• implementing and activating the plan
• evaluating the plan after each summer season.

This guide provides local councils with:

• information about heatwaves and municipal planning
• guidance on how to develop a heatwave plan
• examples of stakeholders and partners to consider in the planning process
• actions recommended for local councils to implement
• advice on developing a communication strategy.

The benefit of activating a heatwave plan during extreme heat events is to reduce illness and death in the community by:

• ensuring health information and support is readily available to the community, vulnerable population groups and their carers
• increasing understanding of heatwave planning and management across council and key external stakeholders
• developing partnerships and collaborative arrangements to better respond to heatwaves
• increasing understanding of heatwaves in communities and increasing their capacity to respond during heatwaves
• managing emergencies during heatwaves more effectively
• developing long-term and sustainable behavioural change to minimise the impacts of heatwaves on health and wellbeing

It is intended that this guide will not only be a resource for local councils, but will be of assistance to other organisations likely to be involved in responding to heatwaves in Victoria