French heat wave deaths....

[Dr Mordrid]

US heat wave: 2 deaths (and yes, ours has been going most of the summer)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48364-2003Aug26?language=printer

French heat wave: ~10,000 deaths (mostly oldsters)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2003-08-21-france-heat_x.htm

Is it just me or is something seriously wrong with the French health care system when most of it takes 1-2 months off in the middle of summer, causing many hospitals to close and those with chronic illnesses to have no safety net?

Not to mention the relatives of these old folks who do likewise and don't/can;t arrange for someone to check on 'em in their absense because all their friends are on "vacation" too.

Dr. Mordrid

[Jon P. Inghram]

We must be doing something horribly wrong I think... how often do you hear of old people crashing into farmers markets in France? Never, because they all died from warm weather! We really need to catch up with the more civilized countries.

[Jammrock]

There's a saying, "summer weather predicts winter weather." Or something like that. From my observation this is mostly true. Which means we may get hammered with a nasty winter this year, too.

So much for quaity social health care.

Jammrock

[Dr Mordrid]

Why would they pad the figures? It's making the French government and their social health care system look like a bunch of buffoons.

Oops...forgot....that was common knowledge already

Dr. Mordrid

[Jon P. Inghram]

I wonder how long before someone blames the US for the deaths in Europe.

[dZeus]

it's the invasion of iraq!!!! lots of heat in that region because of that, which drifted to the nearby region of western-europe, thus killing lots of people in france!

anyway... the heat this sumer was much much higher than anything experienced in the previous decades, and I doubt much could be prevented. What should they have done? installed air-conditioning systems in every elderly home just because perhaps it might be a very very hot summer this year, though it hadn't been for over 40 years?

[thop]

Actually i blame the US for the european heat wave. The massive power failure because of their poor power grid made the temperature raise in france. How do you like that Jon P. Ingram

[Jon P. Inghram]

That's not right, the power outtage should have reduced greenhouse gasses and heat output, dropping temperatures.

[Marshmallowman]

The situations are quite different, I would have thought of this a disaster, not an oportunity to vent your spleen....

The normal climate and social/deomgraphics are very different.

I am not making any excuse for the french govenement(ptoi), but I don't think jumping on a high horse and laughing at inocent PEOPLE dying is "nice"

[Novdid]

Although that number is insanely high, one reason could be that in Europe (northern that is), AC usage in homes are very limited, it's not needed usually as it doesn't get seriously hot during summers here.

[Brian Ellis]

And remember, many of these elderly people are really poor, often at less than subsistence level and wouldn't know an aircon unit if it bit them on the elbow (and couldn't afford the electricity, if they had one). The biggest problem is dehydration and elderly people cannot recognise the symptoms. They may be drinking a coupla cups of coffee per day and nowhere near the 1.5 - 2 litres minimum of water that is recommended at 40°C ambient.

Of course, this does not exonerate the state from their lacunary social services.

However, it is unfair to compare countries where high temps are the norm, with one where the record books have had the mercury burst from their pages for the first time in the records by several degrees and over a long period of time.

[The PIT]

I think some of the elderly were also in old peoples homes which is rather sad. Air con is still a luxury in europe. If the rising temps are going to be the norm air con has to be considered.

[VJ]

Originally posted by The PIT
I think some of the elderly were also in old peoples homes which is rather sad. Air con is still a luxury in europe. If the rising temps are going to be the norm air con has to be considered.

That is true... even in operating rooms... I know first hand of a heart surgeon who refused to operate in a hospital, but - if possible - gets his patients tranferred to another one (25 km away) in order to be able to operate in a climate controlled operating room (arguments: less blood loss for the patient, more comfortable for the staff and less fatiguing - resulting in a better attentionspan).

During the heatwave, our university switched to an alternate hour-schedule, some companies just had to shut down for a week or so.

Also, most countries here don't have the proper infrastructure to cope with heat waves (as they didn't occur that often). As The PIT said, air con is a luxury, and even if most people had it, there would be other issues: many countries (Holland, France, Germany) had problems with generating electricity, resulting in occasional blackouts). Here in Belgium, it was nip and tuck (nuclear plants couldn't run full power, as the coolingwater was quite hot, and there is a limit imposed on the temperature of the water pumped back into a river), and even we experienced occasional short (15 min tops) blackouts.
Apparently, France had the most rigid infrastructure, not capable of adapting it to overcome this heatwave.


Jörg

[Rakido]

Re: French heat wave deaths....

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid
Is it just me or is something seriously wrong with the French health care system when most of it takes 1-2 months off in the middle of summer, causing many hospitals to close and those with chronic illnesses to have no safety net?

Is it just me or did you compare the deaths in Kansas City only to the deaths in complete France?

.....Two elderly residents of Kansas City, Mo., died as a result of heat, the Kansas City Health Department said Monday. They were found dead Saturday in their homes, which lacked air conditioning. .....

.....More than 10,000 people, most elderly and living alone, may have died in France during this month's blistering heat wave, French health officials said Thursday......



Rakido

[Sethos]

Just before I left (about a week and a half ago) they had 3,000 deaths now they're up to 10,000 that's a ton of people!!

I think the winter this year is gonna be pretty bad (which I of course like ). I remember the last time it was this hot druing the summer('91) the winter was COLD and there was over an inch of ice...now that's a respectable winter!!

~Sethos