Warrnambool will have a comfortable air-conditioned community refuge and is likely to be the region’s official relief centre in times of disaster, such as bushfires.

Three councils — Warrnambool City, Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire — have jointly developed heatwave strategies for their local municipal health plans as part of a statewide effort to handle warmer summers under climate change.

A report by the state’s chief health officer, which attributed an extra 374 deaths above normal to the heatwave last January, spurred on the government’s commitment to introducing appropriate new policies through local councils.

Southern Grampians and Glenelg shires developed their strategies last year as pilot areas selected to identify vulnerable population groups and the effect on rural settlements.

South-west heatwave warnings will be triggered if the mean temperature for two successive days is 34 degrees or above, calculated on the maximum for one day added to the expected minimum for the next divided by two and based on the official Bureau of Meteorology temperatures at Hamilton.

Warrnambool’s entertainment centre and civic centre could be a regional relief centre in major emergencies.

The city’s manager of health and local laws, Murray Murfett, said the council had just taken delivery of a large electricity generator to power the civic precinct during blackouts and load-shedding brownouts.

“Warrnambool may well be the emergency relief centre for the region,” he said. “We are working with police and other emergency services. For heatwaves we are talking of using a day relief centre, maybe a council building for those sweltering at home.”

He said the heatwave strategy would be included in the new four-year health plan and would include a buddy system for neighbours to check on at-risk groups like the elderly, pregnant women and the sick.

There will also be a system to monitor sports events and concerts which may have to be called off.

Government grants were also available for a new program to help householders fit insulation, awnings and other measures to keep their homes from overheating.

Cr Peter Hulin told this week’s council meeting there should be warnings for people whose health was affected by fluoride in the city’s water supply.

“One way of handling a heatwave is to drink plenty of water, but there are no warnings on fluoridation,” he said.