New heat wave: B.C. unveils plan for protecting communities, says 'personal precautions' also needed
The B.C. government has unveiled its plans for protecting vulnerable communities during the province's latest heat wave, but said residents should take "personal precautions" as well.
Rising temperatures have prompted heat warnings in 19 regions of B.C., including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, and officials said they have taken a number of steps to brace for potentially dangerous conditions.
But Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also urged the public to monitor their local weather, stay hydrated, and to check in on one another, particularly those who live alone.
"Be sure to use the supports available and to take extra care of any vulnerable people and family, friends and pets this weekend," Farnworth said during a news conference Friday.
The government faced sharp criticism for its response to the last heat wave that struck in late June, and which contributed to an estimated 580 deaths.
One major issue was long ambulance wait times that sometimes dragged for hours, something Health Minister Adrian Dix said officials are working hard to correct this time around.
"The B.C. Ambulance Service is ready to serve you. The new chief ambulance officer is taking steps to ensure people who call for help get help, and get help quickly," Dix said.
In rural areas, on-call shifts are being activated full-time over the weekend. The BCAS is also pre-scheduling overtime, allowing paramedics to pick their times and partners in advance.
Paramedics themselves are being taken care of with supplies of water and Gatorade, Dix added, and are being allowed to wear clothing that is summer-appropriate.
Hospitals are also bracing for a potential influx of heat-related patients.
"Staff are being redeployed to emergency rooms to meet demand and steps are in place to keep people in hospitals cool and safe," Dix said. "In long-term care, residents and their families will see staff taking proactive steps to keep everyone hydrated and cool."
To prevent heat-related illnesses, the provincial government is working with health authorities, local governments and First Nations to co-ordinate their weather responses, and will be reimbursing communities for the opening of cooling centres where residents without access to air conditioning can find refuge from the heat.
The province will also help provide transportation to and from cooling centres that aren't reasonably accessible by public transportation, and pay for staff and overtime costs for the use of civic facilities that wouldn't otherwise be open.
The Emergency Info B.C. website has a list of cooling centres and other information to help people through the heat wave.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.