to think that many folk in the UK don't understand how dangerous extreme heat is?

[FunnysInLaJardin]

Seriously, telling a teacher to suck it up in a classroom with no aircon and 30 kids at 40 degrees.

I have many times experienced this kind of heat and you have to keep cool, otherwise it is truly dangerous

My worry is walking home from school at 3 in 40 degree heat with a 2 and 5 year old.

It's weird that no-one apart from (a few) teachers are whining about going to work. No doctors, nurses, chefs, waitresses, and all the others. Just teachers! Who will break up in a couple of days for a 6 week break. Unlike the rest of them who will still be working ...

As someone who’s lived in a much hotter country for years - the UK is not prepared for this. Every building is designed to keep heat in, we don’t have air conditioning, our infrastructure just shuts down. It might be two days but if it continues, it’ll cause chaos.

Based on one MN thread!
I bet chefs are worried as kitchens are often too hot to begin with!
Doctors and nurses are totally different because health is essential.

I’m confused at all the teacher threads- what about the nurses in full PPE looking after patients (covid is rife in hospitals!) chefs/waitresses, police, firefighters, retail workers, office workers, bus/train drivers… do we just shut the whole country down? Again?! Why is it just teachers writing about closing schools?

Its been 30+ degrees here today. So many folk sat outside in full sun (de)hydrating with a beer over a bbq bleeting on about not going to work tomorrow because it’s too hot!

It's because they are all actually working this weekend already in these soaring temperatures. They don't have the time/luxury of a moan as they just get on with it. They won't be finishing at 3 either.

My husband has a full compliment of chefs in tomorrow, none of them have considered ‘taking the day off/closing’.

Im a nurse, we’ll be in work sucking it up, definitely not shut for business. Despite health being ‘essential’ we are human and also get hot!

You don't want the windows open in high heat, you want the blinds closed blocking the sun and the windows closed to keep the hot air out.

Teachers are the least of my concern tbh. There are a lot more difficult and essential jobs. It's not a physical job, you're not in the sun, you can drink cold water while you do it, and as many schools have shown, you can have a couple of days off. Think about self employed labourers who can't afford to tell customers they can't work because its too hot, nurses, midwives etc. It's fucking boiling on a labour ward as it is, they'll be cooking. So many professions why is it always "poor teachers!" .

‘Most people won’t die’ is quite a low bar to set for your expectations.

Oh ffs, it's not 'boiling hot!' Be thankful you don't live in Africa or India where temperatures can reach well over 40°.

Well I’ll be in class tomorrow and am upstairs with 35 of us in a room, a wall of windows (which obviously only open 3 inches) and dark blinds which only shut half way down!
We’ve been told we are staying open and I’m fine with it - we haven’t (as yet) been told that any parents are keeping their kids home so presumably they either have to work or aren’t fussed about it being hot.
it will be fine! No outside play, drinks encouraged throughout the day. It will definitely be stuffy, there will be much moaning.
No fan in my room but our head said DFE don’t recommend them over 35 degrees anyway 🤷🏽‍♀️ (We suspected this may be because they didn’t want to have to stump up any funding from anywhere to make this a requirement 😂).
It’s 2 days.
it will be fine!

@GCHeretic
exactly

YABU to post ANOTHER bloody 'heatwave' thread. And you do know this will be another mammoth 'teacher bashing' thread don't ya? (Or maybe you're not a teacher and this is your intention.)

Insulated buildings keep cooler as well as retain heat

Air con is on its way out if the media is to be believed and in many countries they have government and public warnings about not using or turning up your air con to save emissions

So the UK may well not have wide spread air con anyway in the future.

Fully agree @Sweatinglikeabitch

I work in a kitchen with no aircon and the bloody windows don't open. Of course I know how hot it is and how dangerous it can be, you don't need to be so bloody patronising. Many of us don't have a choice, we can't shut hospitals and care homes.

Just use common sense . If you feel you or your child won't cope with this heat then just stay at home and stuff the consequences

DH is a funeral director who has two burials to conduct tomorrow in London. He will be wearing a full suit with waistcoat and his dress coat and top hat. He will have little time to eat and drink and will be on faint-watch for his team and mourners at the graveside. He will have cooled bottled water in the limos and foldable chairs and umbrellas for any family members that need it. He has no option to cry off of work saying it's too hot, he will likely be sick with the heat when he gets home. He also will not complain once, so I must remember to not moan that I've been a bit warm wfh with no air con.

I think in areas where it's known there are going to be extreme temperatures the schools should shut or parents be given the option to keep kids home. It's places that can't shut like hospitals and staff are literally running around all day that is the most concerning. I am sweltering and feel like I can't breathe now let alone with temperatures several degrees higher tomorrow. Fortunately I will be in an air conditioned office but still dreading the commute.

Don’t we get this quite often in the summer in recent years? I feel like mid-30s isn’t rare any more. We usually get a few days of that in London. Yes it’s noticeable and very hot. Is this time really so different simple because it may break the record by half a degree?

Anyway, it’s TWO days! Have people no resilience for anything?

If a teacher was just responsible for their own comfort of course they would just get on with it, it's being responsible for 30 others who won't drink, won't keep movement to a minimum, won't know what to do to make themselves more comfortable etc that is the worry I would imagine. But if it makes you feel better to call teachers 'whiny' and compare them to all and sundry who do much more important jobs then crack on.

It’s 2 days… we can manage and fwiw I’ve lived o/s with these temps before too. It may not be particularly pleasant but I will be in school like the professional I am paid to be

Schools need to be open otherwise there will be kids out all day which is where the actual danger is. Aslong as people stay hydrated, stay out the sun and avoid alcohol they will be fine

No we don't. The UK is forecast to be the hottest it has ever been tomorrow / Tuesday. This is not "normal" by any means.
Yes it's only two days. But for those two days we'll all need to do things a little differently to stay safe and well. That's not hyperbole, it's sad fact.