The sun is shining once again over Wimbledon and St John Ambulance is encouraging spectators to stay safe in the sun by being aware of a few simple steps.

The high temperatures are already keeping the 43 volunteer first aiders, nurses and doctors very busy providing assistance to the 39,000 people who enter the grounds daily.

Katherine Eaton, Regional Events Manager for St John Ambulance London said: ‘We’re having a busy first week at Wimbledon, with the warm weather contributing to a number of ailments. Our volunteers are determined to make sure that everyone has access to first aid and we’d like to remind people to take a few simple steps to ensure they stay safe in the sun.’

Man with a sunburnThe simple steps are:

Protect yourself from the sun

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the event and not recognise the risk from sunburn and sun-stroke. NHS choices recommend staying out of the sun between 11am and 3 pm, perhaps not always possible during the event. In which case they recommend you plan ahead and take steps such as having enough cold drinks to hand, wearing a hat and ensuring sun block is reapplied regularly.

Stay hydrated

If the weather is hot; ensure you have plenty of cold drinks to hand – avoiding caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee and ensure alcohol is drunk in sensibly. Take a look at the charity SKCIN 5 S’s of sun safety

Recognise the symptoms of too much sun

Sun burn, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are caused by being exposed to the sun for too long. Recognising the symptoms for yourself and those around you allow you to act quickly to get help.

Visit St John ambulance for more information about the effects of heat and Public Health England’s heatwave plan 2014  also has advice on how to cope during a heat wave.

You might also visit our Sun Safety and Skin Cancer forum and talk with others. There is also some information about melanoma and non melanoma with details about symptoms and treatments.

  

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