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City safety information for extreme heat

June 28, 2021 2:33 PM
(Red Deer, Alberta)

In response to the extreme heat, The City is reminding residents to keep cool and stay hydrated, and take advantage of City facilities if need be.

“Extreme heat can be very dangerous and we want to ensure residents know they are welcome to drop into any of our facilities if they need, whether to refill a water bottle or take a quick break to cool down,” said Karen Mann, Emergency Management Coordinator. “It’s easy to become overheated or dehydrated in this heat, so please use our facilities if you need.”

Residents can drop in to any City facility to use bottle-filling stations or to escape from the heat. The G.H. Dawe Centre, Michener Aquatic Centre, Servus Arena and City Hall are all open regular business hours excluding the holiday, while the Collicutt Centre and Recreation Centre will be available on Canada Day as well. Specific hours of operation for each facility are available on The City’s website at reddeer.ca/heatwave.

Residents can take the following precautions to ensure they are safe in the heat:

  1. Heat waves can be most challenging for the most vulnerable. Check in with your neighbours and family members.
  2. Stay hydrated.
  3. Plan your day to limit sun and heat exposure at the hottest periods! Take breaks to get out of the heat or sun/
  4. Never leave pets or children in hot cars. In this type of heat, cracking the window is not enough, and pets and children can becoming very ill or even die from being left in hot vehicles. A car can heat up more than 10 degrees in as little as 5-10 minutes.
  5. Extreme heat affects infants and small children more quickly and dramatically than adults because of their size. Their core temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult.

“It’s important that we look after one another,” said Mann. “If you see someone in distress or in need of support, call 2-1-1 and press 2 for the Social Diversion Team. If there is a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.”

The City is working with community partners and agencies to ensure they have the resources needed to support our community’s vulnerable populations in the extreme heat. The Emergency Operations team are continuing to monitor the situation as the week progresses.

Information about City facility hours, public supports and safety tips for extreme heat are available on The City’s website at reddeer.ca/heatwave.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications
The City of Red Deer

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