This Is Guernsey

By Jess Stevenson

SWELTERING temperatures saw islanders wilting yesterday, as the island experienced the hottest day since July 2006.

Guernsey Met Office recorded 28.2C at the airport, although coastal areas would have been several degrees cooler.

The director of public health, Dr Stephen Bridgman, issued a fresh warning to islanders and the elderly.

‘Heat and high degrees tend to affect the older person because they are less able to regulate their body temperatures, especially those over 80.’

‘The message is to keep out of the sun and, if you are in it, use plenty of sunscreen and don’t get burnt. It [heatstroke] can be a problem if people are not sensible – people need to regulate the temperature in their cars and homes.

‘People may be at risk if they are in rooms without any ventilation,’ he said.

Dr Bridgman (pictured) said that although the elderly might be prone to heatstroke, it could affect anyone, and it occurred when a person’s body rose above the normal temperature of about 36.9C.

‘The symptoms are feeling dizzy, unwell and feeling dozy.’

He said if a person was suffering from it, the first thing to do was to cool their body down.

He added that, unlike the UK, the Health and Social Service Department was not expecting a rise in hospital admissions due to the heat.

‘But we are not complacent as we have plans to bring in more staff if we need to, for this or anything else.’

Both Cobo and the Rohais Healthcare Pharmacy have seen an increase in sales of suncream and sunglasses.

Cobo pharmacy manager Doug Finnie said sales had picked up.

‘Sunglasses and suncream have been selling well, as have bottles of water.’

Although many office workers were holding out for fine weekend weather, a lucky few were able to cool down in casual working clothes.

Healthspan marketing manager Rollo de Sausmarez said the company’s staff adhered to a casual but smart dress code during the summer.

‘We don’t really have a dress code as people turn up looking smart. No one wears a tie unless there is an external meeting.

‘I think wearing slightly more relaxed clothes is a good idea – unless you are meeting someone who has a tie or jacket and then you should wear one too – but otherwise, as long as people look smart and presentable, that’s fine.’

Staff at Guernsey Post adhere to a similar policy.

HR director Steve Rains said office staff wore smart but casual clothes unless they had visitors or it was a board day.

‘We are quite relaxed in that respect and for the postmen we have provided them with high-visibility polo shirts so they don’t have to wear jackets. They also wear their shorts all year round – which they love.’

Postman Lawson Ettasse-Pipet said he thought it would be a good idea for office workers to adopt a more casual style of dress.

‘I was happy to be out and about today and I’m sure a lot of office workers would have been happy to be out too. I’m lucky to be able to wear shorts.’

Meteorologists had predicted that today would be the hottest day yet, but Wednesday’s temperatures increased the week’s original predictions.

Meteorologist David Cunningham said that weather in the Bailiwick was down to hot air from the Continent.

‘The heat has been building up and we have had a feed of hot air from France, but it is unlikely temperatures will get any higher because of thundery weather today.

‘Tomorrow is likely to be fairly muggy and humid but it will get noticeably cooler by the weekend, with winds coming in from the west.’jstevenson@guernsey-press.com

Article posted on 2nd July, 2009 - 2.29pm