The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) says that the National Heat Plan is being instituted because the heat can cause vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, to experience health problems. This may involve discomfort such as fatigue, headaches and concentration problems. But also for more serious problems such as dehydration and heat stroke. “The elderly are the most vulnerable group, because they are less able to control their body temperature and are less likely to feel thirsty,” according to RIVM.
Under the Rijkswaterstaat heat protocol, stranded motorists are taken as quickly as possible to a place with facilities, such as a gas station. “A place where they can stand safely and out of the sun and have something to drink and eat,” said a spokesperson for Rijkswaterstaat.