London Ambulance Service paramedics are urging the public to only dial 999 in life-threatening situations after a heatwave triggered the busiest day for emergency calls since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Record-Breaking Call Volumes
On Tuesday, handlers received 8,121 calls to 999, marking the service's sixth-busiest day ever. From 2pm until midnight, call volumes reached record levels, driven by heat-related conditions such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, and fainting.
The surge followed consecutive days of record-breaking temperatures. Monday saw the hottest May day on record, with Kew Gardens in south-west London provisionally reaching 34.8°C. This record was broken again on Tuesday when the same location hit 35.1°C.
Official Warnings
Alison Blakely, deputy chief paramedic at London Ambulance Service, stated: "We continue to be extremely busy with yesterday being our busiest day since the height of the pandemic." She added: "We want people to enjoy the weather but please take steps to look after yourselves and others around you."
Blakely advised the public to stay safe in the heat by drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding excess alcohol, staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, and checking on vulnerable individuals, including those over 65, young children, and people with pre-existing health conditions.
Extended Heat Alerts
The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that amber heat health alerts for the South West, South East, London, East and West Midlands, and East of England would be extended until 5pm on Thursday. Yellow alerts remain in place for the North West and North East. Amber alerts indicate an increased risk to health for vulnerable groups and likely increased use of healthcare services.
Blakely noted: "Hot weather can have a significant impact on people’s health, and we have seen an increase in calls relating to difficulty in breathing, dizziness and fainting, as well as more calls relating to chest pains and heart problems." She emphasised that respiratory and cardiac-related calls often rise during and after heatwaves.
Water Safety Concerns
Separately, the Royal Life Saving Society urged the public to "stop and think" before entering open water after nine people, mostly children and teenagers, died in water-related incidents during the hot weather. The society warned that "warmer weather unfortunately correlates to an increase in accidental drownings" and that despite warm air, "water temperatures remain very cold."
Weather Outlook
The Met Office forecast a slight cooldown, with cloud and an easterly flow reducing temperatures on Wednesday. Highest temperatures of 32-33°C are expected in southwestern England. Thursday may see 32°C in London and the East Midlands, with Friday reaching 30°C in London and East Anglia. Saturday could bring 29°C around London and Kent. By Sunday, the warmest air is expected to clear southwards, leaving temperatures mostly above average for the time of year across the UK.
