Extreme heat is Australia’s most deadly natural hazard causing more fatalities than all other natural hazards combined.

With projections for more frequent, severe and prolonged heatwave events in future, there is a need to ensure that our cities and communities are prepared.

Heat Smart Western Sydney looks at what processes and structures are needed for the city to manage to heatwave emergencies, with a focus on how we can support our most vulnerable.

The Heat Smart Western Sydney project has two key components:

1. Governance and policy improvement: Based on extensive consultation with regional stakeholders,the Heat Smart Resilience Framework outlines 25 recommendations for improved heatwave management.

2. Community resilience building: A range of resources have been developed to ensure communities and frontline staff, have the knowledge and tools needed to successfully manage heat risks. These resources have been piloted with communities and local organisations across the region in a series of workshops run in partnership with the Australian Red Cross.

Heat Smart Resilience Framework

The Heat Smart Resilience Framework (this document) sets out a pathway for improving management of extreme heat in Western Sydney, with a focus on building systems that support community resilience.

It starts by providing an overview of current heatwave arrangements in NSW, then proposes an integrated approach to heatwave management, and concludes by outlining opportunities for improving the way we manage future heatwaves.

Heat Smart community resources

The Heat Smart Western Sydney program has developed a suite of resources to assist local organisations and communities be better prepared for heatwaves and extreme heat.

Digital copies are available for download, or get in touch with WSROC for printed copies.

Heat Smart Organisation Toolkit
Heat Smart: Be safe during extreme heat	Heat Smart: Keep babies and children safe	Heat Smart: 10 tips for a cooler home

Translated community resources can be downloaded via the below links:

Heat Smart: Arabic  العربية

Heat Smart: Farsi  فارسی

Heat Smart: Hindi  डिन्दी

Heat Smart: Korean  한국어

Heat Smart: Serbian  Cрпски

Heat Smart: Simplified Chinese  简体中文

Heat Smart: Tamil  தமிழ்

Heat Smart: Turkish Türkçe

Heat Smart: Vietnamese  Tiếng Việt

Heat Smart videos

Video 1: Heat Smart Tips: Start of summer				Video 2: Heat Smart Tips: For heatwaves

Translated versions of these videos are available on WSROC's Youtube channel.

Turn Down the Heat Strategy actions: 11. Preventative heat response framework, 12. Urban heat community engagement strategy

Project timeframe: 2020 - 2022

Project partners: WSROC (lead), Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, Cumberland, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith City Councils.

Contact: Kelly Gee, Policy and Projects Officer, 02 9671 4333

Heat Smart is funded under the State Government Natural Disaster Resilience Program.