People are being asked to think twice about dialling 999 as temperatures begin to soar in Lichfield and Burntwood.
West Midlands Ambulance Service says it expects demand for its services to increase during what it says will be a “challenging week”.
Medical director Dr Andrew Carson said: “A prolonged heatwave poses a real danger to those patients with emphysema, asthma and long term breathing problems.
“The hot weather makes breathing difficult even for healthy individuals. That’s why we suggest people with respiratory illnesses should remain indoors as much as possible.
“It is vital that we get to these patients as quickly as possible and would therefore ask the public to assist us by only calling 999 in life threatening situations.”
