As Alberta’s capital region remains under a heat warning, trying to keep cool can come with its challenges.
And while sun seekers enjoy the hot temperatures, for others this heat can be life threatening.
“During heatwaves we can see upwards of 20 to 30 cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke,” Kassidy Green with Boyle Street Community Services said.
To help the city’s vulnerable population beat the heat, Boyle Street is ramping up its supports.
“We’re making sure we are increasing the capacity inside of our community centre. We’re checking on people in and around our building to make sure the have the resources that they need to keep themselves safe,” Green said.
Boyle Street used to ask for water donations to help community members. Now, a different approach has Boyle asking for money, saying cash will help protect many more people.
“We have a partnership with a local consulting company called TopBlok, so they are matching donations up to $10,000. So when people make a donation to our Emergency Response Fund, you actually double your impact,” Green said.
The city is also taking extra steps, setting up 15 hydration stations around the city. Peace officers are handing out water bottles and anyone who needs a break from the heat can use rec centres to cool off.
This heat is also dangerous for animals.
“Dogs in particular don’t have the ability to sweat and so heat stroke can happen in minutes,” Alberta SPCA communications manager Dan Kobe said.
“If they appear to be in distress in any way on a day like today, probably assume it’s heat related and check in with your vet quickly,” he said.
A graphic showing how outside temperatures can translate into temperatures inside vehicles.
Global News
Some dog owners are already taking necessary precautions in the heat.
“(My dog) stays inside quite a bit when its hot, you know because it’s cooler in house than outside, like we won’t leave him outside when its really hot,” dog owner Lillian Cook said.
“It is very important, we don’t want to have them suffer, so it’s high priority,” Harinder Hens, another dog owner, said.
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