Why are Parisians dropping dead at 104F?

Factual Questions
21

Yah. Serious sucks-ville. You don’t want to go there. Been there once. Ain’t going back.

The electric meter burned out one hot and shitty night down in south Louisiana, so of course the A/C quit. It was hot in the house, and not much cooler outside. High humidity, temperature over one hundred. The breeze through the open window made you sweat worse.

Dad went out with a flash light, pulled the meter (hammer and god knows what else,) and stuck in jumpers - with the power on and the A/C switch on and the fridge plugged in and some of the light switches turned on. Great big bunch of sparks flew, then the lights came on and the A/C - the power company came out the next day to replace the meter and adjusted the transformer up on the pole to fix the low voltage problem that burned out the meter in the first place.

22

Sorry. That was to Tanookie, and still discussing heat and humidity.

I second photopat - condolences to those who have lost people in Paris or anywhere else the heat wave has hit.

23

It’s not just the elderly who are at risk from constant heat, but the very young. The summer I was born, there was a heat wave in Kansas – over forty days in a row of over 100F weather. My family was pretty poor, and would never have been able to afford air conditioning had some richer friends not replaced their old window unit and given it to us. My mom kept my brother and I parked near that A/C unit the whole day long. If we hadn’t had it, there’s a good chance I might’ve ended up in the hospital (I was born in early June, so I was weeks old when the heat wave hit).

24

While it would be easy make jokes at the expense of the French it’s a real problem. We endure hotter temps here (Phoenix) but it’s not unexpected so people are equipped to deal with it. People may not be aware they can sweat faster than they can drink and not know when heat goes from mere discomfort to being life threatening.

We’re going through an unually hot summer even for us and we hit a record high-low temp in July: the low temp for the day was 96º (35.5ºC for metric folks). <bends down to sidewalk with spatula in hand> How do you want your eggs?

25

A whole other issue just occurred to me. I’ve been in Paris in the summer, when the temperature was in the 80s and low 90s, uncomfortable enough for me. But I noticed that the only people wearing shorts and t-shirts seemed to be tourists. I never saw one Parisian, especially the men, who were dressed for that kind of heat. Many Parisians are very style-conscious (that’s one of the reason’s why we love them), and place appearance above everything else, including comfort. I have a cousin who lives there, and he agrees with me totally on this. He says he doesn’t even own a pair of shorts or a t-shirt.

26

I lived in Chicago during the 1995 heat wave.

It was over seven hundred deaths by the time it was all said and done - and this in a city where summers routinely climb up to the 90’s Farenheit (around 35 C) for days in a row.

Although the elderly were a sizable portion of the total, there were victims of all ages, including healthy young men 20 - 40 years old used to working out doors in all weather.

In the morning I’d go out to my bus stop to go to work, said bus stop being right on the shore of Lake Michigan. The beach was covered with entire families sleeping on the shoreline because it was cooler than staying in their apartments. Not that it was really cool, mind you, just better than staying inside. Even the lakewater felt warm, and that’s unheard of for Lake Michigan. (The fish were also dying from the heat and washing up on shore. It was… was… indescribably hideous at times)

The power outages were definitely a contributing factor.

So was our architecture - it can get as cold as -30 F in a Chicago winter (-35 C), and we’ll stay -10 (-20 C) for days at a time some years. That kind of cold is deadly. It is very important that your living quarters be able to retain heat. Unfortunately, they retain heat in summer, too, so unless you have fans it can become hotter inside than outside. During the night, the heat absorbed by the bricks and mortar during the day continues to radiate into the living areas so the temperature can continue to climb inside well into the night.

I remember when the morgue filled up and they were renting refrigerated truck trailers to store the bodies, and calling in coroners from neighboring cities to help with all the autopsies. That idiot Daley stood up and said “It can’t be heat killing all these people.” Well, I thought, you’d better find out what the hell IS killing people, because we’re having to stack them like logs outside the morgue. The government always wants to deny it, because, like freezing to death, dying of heat is soooo unnecessary - it means somebody neglected something.

Yes, I can well believe Paris has 100 dead. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the number go up. It wouldn’t surprise me if other European cities were having the same problems, they just haven’t hit the news yet.

One positive change since 1995 is that people take heat a heck of lot more seriously these days. Folks are encouraged to look in on their family, and if for some reason they can’t, the city will conduct “wellness” checks on seniors and disabled. The city has designated cooling areas - typically public buildings with A/C - where people are encouraged to go and get out of the heat during bad spells. Is it perfect? No. But we haven’t had any massive die-offs since.

27

It does seem that this extreme weather is becoming more and more common in Europe. This isn’t the first year I’ve seen “UK KILLER HEATWAVE” headlines. There was a bad one in the mid to late 90s, if I recall.

Now, it’d be easy to say that the Europeans should adjust their lifestyles to this heat, but of course Australian-style models for building etc won’t help wit the intense cold you also get. But still, building design needs to change. Aussie apartment blocks have thick concrete balconies on every level, often all around. This keeps the windows set back in the shade. It also means the external walls don’t radiate much heat into the interior, as there’s six feet or so of brickwork (between different tenants’ balconies) which takes the worst of the sun. I look at those British flats with the big windows right on the street, and shudder to think how a heatwave would be in one.

Here in Sydney, we still can’t escape from real life. There is work, and taking the kids to school, etc. But there are little tricks you can pull sometimes. The “stay at home” advice is good for the sick and elderly, but often it’s better to go out. Leave early, come home late, and spend the day at an air conditioned shopping mall or at the movies. NOT at the beach.

The most important thing of all, as already mentioned, is hydration. There is a staggering amount of water lost through the skin in this kind of weather. Drink water to what you consider almost ridiculous levels. Avoid caffeine and booze.

28

When I was growing up in the 40s and 50s we didn’t know anyone with home air conditioners, so it can’t just be that. In Chicago, a number of elderly people died (or so I read) because they were too scared of crime to open a window. I don’t think that’s a consideration in Paris.

In 1950, men wore suits and ties in all weather. Baseball players wore woolen uniforms and the umpires wore woolen suits and ties and there were many more day games, including doubleheaders every Sunday. So what is going on?

I believe that at 104 deg fans will heat you rather than cool you (depending on the relative humidity), so the posters who said that got that right. I can recall sleeping in our back yard and I recall once getting into a convertible to take a ride in pajamas at 2AM (this was in northern Virginia), but the temperature was “only” in the high 80s, so that was cooling.

One thing is that you gotta know to drink plenty of liquid (and I suspect that sugar drinks are not good leading to increased metabolism) and take it easy.

There is a guard at my bank that I talk to whenever I go in. He is from Sri Lanka and has been living in Montreal for about 10 years. He says temperatures of 45C (= 113F) are common and 50C (=122F) are not unknown. But they cope somehow. Although he says he can no longer take it when he visits. So it is a complicated business and I think people make adaptations. Besides, maybe lots of Singhalese do die from the heat; it is just normal and does not count as “excess deaths”.

29

Another theory given - in the second link I posted in my first post in this thread - was that most of the people who were elderly lived and died alone. People with family who didn’t think to look in on them, who didn’t have a family, whose neighbors didn’t stop by, etc. I would suspect that social ties were probably closer in the '40s and '50s - elderly people were checked with more or even still in the same home as their children.

30

Reminds of a trip to Europe a few days ago. the French Surgeon General had to remind the French not to go in the Ocean, if they couldn’t swim. Huh? Yes, there was a rash of drownings. I guess the French lack common sense .

31

Reminds of a trip to Europe a few years ago. the French Surgeon General had to remind the French not to go in the Ocean, if they couldn’t swim. Huh? Yes, there was a rash of drownings. I guess the French lack common sense .

32

Sure before air conditioning was common, people coped with the heat. But there were a few differences between then and now besides the lack of A/C

When it got really hot people would sleep outside - on porches, lawns, city parks… 1995 was not the first time the Chicago lakeshore had people camping out to beat the heat at home. In Detroit, Belle Isle used to have folks sleeping on it in the worst of summer heat.

Back then, EVERY building had windows that opened - even office buildings and skyscrapers. Not like the hermetically sealed buildings from the 1970’s onward.

People DID die of the heat in the old days… just not in massive numbers. Partly, this was because folks had a little more respect for the heat and adjusted activity levels accordingly. This is unlike a couple of the '95 victims who insisted on continuing their dailly jog in 100+ heat.

Back in the old days, folks did not, on average, live as long or with some of the chronic diseases now seen. Folks with heart disease or severe respiratory problems were less able to survive any weather-induced stress. In '95, at least some victims were frail, chronically ill folks whose power and A/C failed.

Yes, social ties are also important - if family or friends are around they might notice grampa has passed out and start trying to cool him down, take outside into cooler air, seek medical attention, etc. as opposed to gramps continuing to bake alone in a closed up apartment. As mentioned, Chicago now offers to perform “wellness checks” on folks in extreme weather - gramps can put himself on the list and thereby increase the chance of him being found if something happens.

There’s also the matter of adaptation. The human body WILL adjust to heat… with time. If you live where it’s hot all year round you’re body will be better able to cope than someone who just flew into the area from a colder climate. When, for instance, it’s spring and I’ve been used to freezing temperatures for several months a temperature of 75 degrees (about 23 C) will leave me overheated and sweating. This time of year, 75 seems a tad chilly and I don’t feel knocked over by the heat until it’s up around 85 or 90 (what Europe is currently experiencing). In 1995, after 100 degree days, 80 started to feel pleasently cool. But as I said, it takes time to adjust.

Heat can kill, but how folks get into that circumstance varies. Which is why it’s so tempting for governments to deny there’s a problem - it’s not a quick, easy, one-time apply fix here sort of problem. There are multiple factors, including individual health and age. And you can’t change the architecture of a city overnight, you have to deal with what’s there. Folks who have never experienced a certain form of weather just won’t have the coping skills - they can learn, certainly, but again, it takes time.

I really do feel sympathy for Europe - that kind of heat is miserable. I hope you folks get a break in the heat soon.

33

Unlike the USA where no idiot ever drowns. :rolleyes:

34

(Irish in Paris)

Seeing as there isn’t a huge Parisian imput into the thread I thought I’d say a few words.

Firstly it’s hot. 100F outside today with one of horrible breezes which make it seem warmer. The important thing to know though is that it’s 90F in my office, a building of over 500+ people where there is no air con and very few fans. People just aren’t used to this and aren’t aware of the risks due to the heat. People in their 60’s that I have seen jogging every week for the past 5 years I’ve been heer are still doing it as they just aren’t informed of the dangers (older people drink much less than younger people).

Ait Con units aren’t really available for sale over here (expensive and have always been discouraged in Europe due to strict rules against the use of coolents. Worse is that the sale of fans has led to a shortage in the city meaning that it was impossible in the city center yesterday to get anything for less than $75

So basically it comes down to a freak heatwave affecting a city of 10+ million people who don’t have air con in their homes and rarely at work and are not informed of the dangers of not changing their lifestyles and habits until it passes.
BTW, out of the 25 of us in my office, 21 have eaten in McDonalds in the past 2 weeks due to all their places having nice refreshing cold air. Out of those 21 only 4 had already been this year.
God Bless America !

35

We are having similar (but by no means as BAD) weather in Atlantic Canada.

Humidity so bad that its literally sucking the life out of everyone, daily rain for nearly three weeks, but instead of cleansing the air and leaving it cool, its heavy and moist like a damp blanket out of the dryer.

Its suffocating. People will post and say “well when I was a kid it was twice as humid and it didnt bother me!”

Bully for you, we are a COASTAL people, not used to excessive heat and humidity, I would imagine people from the south who ARE used to heat and humidity would probably freeze solid, and then shatter into a billion shards if they had to winter in northern Canada.

What you are used to makes a big difference in how you adjust to abrupt weather changes.

It boggles my mind about the UK being so short on AC. I am so sorry for what you guys are going through. Good luck, and may cool breezes find you soon.

36

Some people are like that, but not me. I’ve lived all my life in the southern U.S., and I still hate to go out into the heat of high summer. When I was growing up, we used to sleep with our heads on the windowsills on hot summer nights.
You folks in Europe and the UK have my sympathy. More importantly, is there anything we can do to help? I can’t think of anything offhand, other than to maybe post some ice cream recipes or something, but if you can think of something, let me know.

One tip: if you start feeling overheated, you might want to try eating a snowcone. I discovered at an outdoor concert (The Eagles!) that it helped me quite a bit.
RR

37

What’s with all the sympathy? I work in London and live about 35 miles out of town in the countryside. I can’t get enough of this hot weather! It’s been a lot cooler today - only around 80 I think, and I wish the heat would come back!

Sunday was the hottest day ever recorded in the UK, at a fraction over 100F, and I was basking in it. Bring it on!

38

If you like it r_k, good for you. Just be careful and don’t overdo the physical activity when it’s that hot.

Temperatures in the 80s are fine. It can be really nice in the 80s. It’s just when it gets up over 90 and especially at 100 that it becomes unbearable.

Surprisingly, this summer in Chicago has been quite mild. We’ve had very few days in the 90s and not a whole lot in the upper 80s. Ironically, it’s been a bad year for a friend of mine in the A/C industry.

39

r_k, I really love summer. Cold weather is just miserable, and a good 100+ day can be good. But weeks of it, especially when you have to go to work, can get tiresome.

And for all you Northerners, just count yourselves lucky you don’t have to do your Christmas shopping when its 105 degrees, and the crowds, parking, screaming children, and insanity are too much to bear. Even the fake snow starts to melt. :wink:

40

An interesting article in the NY Times.

While I can understand the worries about CFCs, this

seems rather odd to me. Factually, are they right? I think the reason it seems weird to me is that I’ve grown up using the wonderful invention known as the swamp controller, where the biggest enviromental worry is the amount of water they use in a desert and there is none of this “cold air in, hot air out” described.