"We survived the 1976 heatwave". Yes we did, in the same way we survived the covid pandemic - some of us survived to say things like that, the people who died aren't here to disagree. The 1976 heatwave was estimated to have caused 20% extra deaths in the UK compared to the same period in 1975.

Also 1976 was fifty years ago, and the heatwave was so unusual people are still talking about it. Today dangerous heat is more of an "every other Thursday" type event.