The Community of Madrid has approved this Wednesday the Action Plan for Episodes of High Temperatures that allows, among other actions, to adapt the school hours of educational centers and establish specific surveillance of the correct air conditioning in social or health care facilities, reports Eph.
The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Interior of the Community, Enrique López, has detailed this plan in the press conference after the Governing Council, which in turn was advanced by the regional president, Isabel DÃaz Ayuso, this week.
The Community of Madrid Plan includes the creation of the Interdepartmental Commission that will hold its first meeting tomorrow, Thursday, and through which all the initiatives of the regional Executive will be monitored until September 15.
At the same time, through Canal de Isabel II, a water saving awareness campaign for the population will be carried out between this month and June. The objective is to convey the importance of making efficient and sustainable use of this important natural resource.
The plan allows social and health centers to receive daily information on the alert level for temperature, with special attention to high-risk residents, and residents’ hydration will be increased and sun exposure will be avoided during the central hours of the day.
As a complement to the cold air conditioning systems inside the buildings, sun protection elements will be installed in open spaces.
When medium or high alert levels are reached, the workforce will be increased in those hospitals or areas of the region most affected, and emergency personnel will be specifically trained on how to act in this situation.
In addition, the need to increase beds for services will be identified and specific actions aimed at vulnerable groups will be carried out, especially in medium and long-stay centers.
It also includes the monitoring of the entrances of the emergencies related to heat, detecting sources or areas of Madrid where there is a greater affectation, in order to react more effectively.
In primary care, people at risk will be identified and activities to prevent the effects of heat waves will be reinforced, especially those aimed at the most vulnerable population groups. At the same time, informative documents with preventive advice will be distributed.
In the educational field, schools and institutes may adapt the school schedule without affecting the quality of this public service and family reconciliation.
In addition, changes can be made in physical activities, changing the hours of performance, avoiding intense exercise and taking extreme precautions when going out to the patio in the hottest parts of the day.
Likewise, complementary and extracurricular activities will be reviewed to prevent them from being carried out in places exposed to the sun.
Also noteworthy is the investment of 1.5 million euros by the regional Executive to install floor cooling units in 31 public nursery schools, in order to reduce the effects of high temperatures in a population between 0 and 3 years old, who also attends the centers during the month of July.
In terms of public transport, a reinforcement of the frequencies of the metro network in case of extreme temperatures and of the air conditioning equipment of trains and buses is contemplated. At the same time, in the transport interchanges the normal operation of the air conditioning and ventilation systems will also be verified as a preventive measure.
Another of the main innovations this year will be the early opening of the regionally owned summer pools, which will take place on May 13, that is, almost a month before the usual date, maintaining the rates and reducing public prices. to the groups most vulnerable to heat waves.
From the operational point of view of the Civil Protection Plan against Forest Fires in the Community of Madrid (INFOMA), from May the presence of land and air resources will be reinforced in case their intervention is necessary.
For public employees, the possible installation of blinds, blinds, awnings and other types of shielding is foreseen to reduce the temperature and prevent thermal radiation from reaching the worker, as well as the delivery of light summer clothing in advance to workers whose functions require its use.
