Anatomy of a heat wave

Source(s): rabble.ca

By Cathy Crowe

[...]

In 2003, eight years after the Chicago catastrophe, countries in western Europe experienced a heat wave that resulted in 27,000 dead: 15,000 deaths in France, between 4,000 and 8,000 in Italy, 1,300 in Portugal, and 2,000 in Britain. Many were seniors. Many were poor.

[...]

Lessons were learned. First, that accelerated death rates were linked to poverty, unaffordable housing, diminished social programs, and access to air conditioning. Second, that the most critical public health measures that can save life in a heat emergency are early warning systems, the immediate opening of neighbourhood-based cooling centres, outreach to seniors and vulnerable populations including vans to pick people up to take them to cooling centres, fan and air conditioner installation programs, and reverse 911 calls, or automated calls to people who are vulnerable.

[...]

Very few Canadian municipalities are prepared for a heat wave. It is rare to find a Canadian city with protocols to operate neighbourhood cooling centres, deploy air-conditioned city buses, or operate a vulnerable person registry. There are no fan loan programmes, air conditioner installation programmes, or hydro rebates for those in need. Emergency heat plans have not yet made it into municipal disaster management binders, nor are they mandated or funded by provincial Ministries of Health or Public Safety. Yet, prevention today will save lives tomorrow.

[...]

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