Even with its year-round snow-capped mountains, B.C.'s Southern Interior is continuing to turn consistently warmer than what our parents and grandparents grew up used to.
For those days of gruelling heat, which human-caused climate change keeps on perpetuating, Interior Health (IH) is reminding communities to stay cool and take care of yourself this summer, as well as look out for your neighbour.
In a recorded interview with IH, medical health officer Dr. Sue Pollock emphasized that the intent this time of year is never to discourage families from having fun outdoors.
That said, "there are certain groups that are more susceptible to the health effects of heat," she explained, "people who are older, people who are very young, pregnant individuals, as well as those who are unable to seek cooler air, so people who are living in a precariously-housed situation."
In fact, the primary demographic that fell among the more than 600 fatalities in B.C. during the 2021 heat dome was people older than 50 who lived alone and in social isolation, according to Pollock.
"It's really important that each of us develop a buddy system with our neighbours and family in order to help keep each other safe," she continued, suggesting reaching out to older members in the immediate community to determine any support they need to stay cool at home.
Symptoms from ongoing heat that Pollock listed include profuse sweating, fatigue, muscle cramps and nausea. To mitigate these experiences, residents can try having a cool bath, putting ice packs on their body, drinking lots of water and staying out of the sun. IH also recommends spraying your body with water.
Additionally, the regional health authority suggests identifying a cooler spot in your home for sleeping; ensuring you have a working fan and air conditioning; installing awnings, shutters, blinds and curtains to block sun; reducing hot air by shutting doors and windows during day and opening them at night; and buying a digital room thermometer.
IH notes that fans aren't effective for lowering older individuals' body temperatures or keeping people cool when it's hotter than 35 C. Indoor temperatures also shouldn't exceed 31 C, it adds.
Not following such advice, in contrast, can potentially lead to medical emergencies where people encounter heat stroke and start feeling confused and disoriented. In extreme cases, they may even stop sweating, turn red and become hot to the touch, upon which immediate emergency medical care should be summoned, Pollock advised.
Staying cool and out of the sun doesn't have to mean staying indoors, she noted. A park, lake or river with shade provided by trees can be suitable options, though Pollock cautioned that people should seek cooler spots indoors if external temperatures continue to climb.
"They can create a cool zone in their home, maybe one room where they have a portable air conditioning unit, and they can spend most of their time in that area," she said.
Pollock encourages anyone without access to their own air conditioning or "cool zone" to contact their local government for chilled community spaces such as libraries, malls and even dedicated cooling centres.
Lower-income individuals can also apply for a free portable air conditioner through BC Hydro's Energy Conservation Assistance Program online.
Residents are also recommended to download the WeatherCAN app on their smartphone or tablet for real-time heat updates, as well as check Environment and Climate Change Canada advisories and Alertable for extreme weather notifications.
To learn more about heat-related illness and how to prevent it, visit healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/heat-related-illness.
