Two Cities Declare Heat Alerts As Temperatures Soar

As temperatures hit the 30s and humidex values make it feel more like the 40s, the City of Toronto and the Region of Peel – including Brampton and Caledon – have both issued caveats about the heat.

Experts suggest keeping yourself well hydrated and checking up on those most vulnerable to the effects of the heat, including the very young, the elderly and those with respiratory problems.  

Even pets, who have to wear their fur coats all year long, can suffer in this weather. Police in Bayview Village were forced to break a car window to rescue a dog roasting inside a steaming car  Wednesday.

The alert system is designed to ward off the possible killer effects of the weather.  

A Heat Alert means that the likelihood of deaths due to the conditions is more than 65 percent.

An Extreme Heat Alert, which allows the city to open cooling centres, is slightly more urgent. It ups the possibility of fatalities to 90 percent.  

“On days when an extreme heat alert is declared, there are actually about twice as many deaths overall in the city,” explains Dr. Howard Shapiro, Toronto’s Associate Medical Officer of Health.  

And bad as things are, they may get even hotter soon. Temperatures are expected to hit 35 degrees by the weekend.  

 If you don’t have air conditioning, a fan will help.

But there are a few things you need to know before you hit that ‘on’ switch.

• Use your fan in or next to a window. Box fans are best.
• Use a fan to bring in the cooler air from outside.
• Use your fan by plugging it directly into the wall outlet. 
• Don’t use a fan in a closed room without windows or doors open to the outside.
• Fans don’t cool the air. They just move the air around.
• Don’t use a fan to blow extremely hot air on yourself. It can cause heat exhaustion to happen faster.

Despite the dangers of the combination of smog and the temperatures, some sun lovers can’t resist the urge to exercise up some sweat while nature’s furnace is on full blast.

If you’re one of them, here are a few things you should be aware of:

• Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise 
• During exercise, drink water every 15-20 minutes 
• Wear loose-fitting clothes that allow sweat to evaporate
• Wear a hat and use sunscreen, at least SPF 15
• Take lots of rest breaks, preferably in the shade or an air-conditioned area
• Exercise or play sports in shaded areas
• If you jog or cycle, stay away from busy streets especially during rush hours

Tips Courtesy: City of Toronto

The cities will make their decisions on whether to extend or upgrade the alerts within the next 24 hours.

For more information on dealing with the heat, call the special Red Cross line at (416) 480-2615.