Stay cool and check on vulnerable people living alone.
That's the advice of Lower Mainland health officers for Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health who issued a joint press release Thursday in advance of the warm weather this weekend.
The joint announcement comes as Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Whistler, Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and the Sunshine Coast alerting residents to a warm weather period stretching into early next week. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 20s in the coastal areas and as high as 30 degrees inland.
Seniors, children and people with chronic health conditions are the most vulnerable when temperatures becomes scorching, the health officers say.
The following precautions were listed.
1. Stay hydrated
• Drink cool beverages (preferably water) irrespective of your activity intake. Don’t wait until you are thirsty.
• If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask about increasing the amount of water you can drink while the weather is hot.
2. Keep cool
• Spend the hottest hours of the day (between 11am and 2pm) out of the sun and heat in a cool location like an air-conditioned facility (such as a shopping centre, library, community centre or restaurant) or in a basement.
• Use public splash pools, water parks or pools or take a cool bath or shower.
• At high temperatures, fans alone are not effective. Applying cool water mist or wet towels to your body prior to sitting in front of a fan is a quick way to cool off.
• Dress for the weather by wearing loose, light-weight clothing. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Keep your home cool. Open windows, close shades, use an air conditioner and prepare meals that do not require an oven.
• Avoid sunburn, stay in the shade or use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more.
• Avoid tiring work or exercise in the heat. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of non-alcoholic fluids each hour. Limit outdoor activity during the day to early morning and evening.
• Never leave children or pets alone in a parked car. During warm weather, temperatures can rise very quickly to dangerous levels within an enclosed vehicle. Leaving the car windows slightly open or "cracked" will not keep the inside of the vehicle at a safe temperature.
