French Hospitals Battle Record-Breaking Heat Waves

In Orsay, France, ice became a critical resource at a hospital during an extreme heat wave. Medical staff plunged patients into cold-water baths to rapidly decrease their body temperatures. However, without an ice-making machine, they relied on a local fast-food restaurant and purchased ice from a supermarket to meet their needs. The Paris-Saclay Hospital has since ordered an ice machine for future heat waves, which are expected due to climate change.

As the hospital recovers from intense heat, staff are preparing for the next incident. Cédric Lussiez, the hospital director, acknowledged their unpreparedness and scrambled to find quick solutions. Hospitals across France are enhancing defenses against anticipated heat waves. The Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, announced a 100-million euro budget for cooling systems in hospitals, with plans to distribute 30,000 air-conditioning units to health facilities shortly.

The World Health Organization warned of harsher summers, emphasizing that heat waves are now recurring events. At Paris-Saclay Hospital, heat-related emergencies surged, with patients arriving en masse. Dr. Nicolas Gonzales, head of the emergency department, described the influx as a tidal wave of cases including heart attacks and dehydration.

The hospital’s crisis began with a 50-year-old man in a coma due to heat, followed by numerous other patients with severe symptoms. Gonzales stressed the physical toll of heat on the body, which can cause heart failure.

The Paris-Saclay Hospital, equipped with air-conditioning, faced less heat exposure than its older counterparts. The group of hospitals, led by Lussiez, used electric fans and ice blocks to keep medications cool in the older facilities. Student nurses helped hydrate patients. Renovations are underway, including cool rooms in psychiatric units and moving elderly care to the new hospital, as they aim to be better prepared for the next heat wave.