What does it take to start treating extreme heat seriously?

Every summer, I find myself getting frustrated by how casually extreme heat is treated by some people here. Even when temperatures are approaching 40°C and heatstroke warnings are being issued across the country, plenty of people still seem to carry on as though it's business as usual. Some recent figures show that's becoming an increasingly dangerous attitude, and I hope it'll make people sit up and take notice. 

More than 10,800 people were taken to hospital with heatstroke in just one week in July, and that's more than double the figure from the same timeframe last year. Fourteen people lost their lives, and hundreds more were seriously ill enough to require weeks of hospital treatment. The majority of cases involved people aged 65 and over, but (obviously!) heatstroke isn't just a risk for older adults. It can affect anyone who spends too long outdoors, exercises in the heat, or even stays inside their house with no A/C on.

One stat that really stood out to me was that homes were the most common place for heatstroke, which shows that many people are still trying to save money by limiting air conditioner use, or they're simply underestimating how dangerous indoor heat can be. Also, since it's so hot overnight still, it's not like we get much chance to recover even once the sun sets.