The intense heat around the world has been driving us out of our own homes due to lack of a safe and cool space, forest fires, into hospitals for dehydration, pet dehydration and the list can go on.
If you are an older adult, a young child, have chronic illnesses, asthma, work in the heat, homeless, live in a dry climate, you are at risk from heat waves. The extreme may appear out of the blue, and that is why you should always try to be prepared.
Find local cooling centres or public areas with air conditioning.
Have access to clean, drinking water.
Avoid exposure to the sun/outdoors/heat.
Learn the signs and symptoms of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and other heat related heat illnesses.
What can we do and what can our cities do to protect from extreme heat safety?
Be a good samaritan – invite your unit/store as a cooling centre (with proper COVID-safe protocols, of course)
2. Build more overhangs and canopies.
3. Call on the city to add it more drinking water fountains.
4. Encourage air conditioning in buildings’ by-laws
If you are in a dry climate at risk of wild fires, prepare you and your family in case of an emergency evacuation. For more information on this, please watch my videos on Wildfire Emergency Prep:
