City advising residents of heatwave and how to stay cool

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Take plenty of breaks if outside, and wear light, loose clothing.
Avoid peak outdoor heat hours, between noon-2:00 p.m.
Turn off unnecessary electronic devices.
Be aware of dry conditions and increased fire risk. There is still a fire ban in place in the river bottom, with open fires being prohibited at this time.
Residents are reminded to be cautious if smoking in the river valley and dispose of butts properly or avoid smoking in the area altogether.

The city also says the vulnerable members of the community are at risk of more harsh outcomes from the heat because of their lack of access to a shelter.

Those individuals can access the following to stay cool:

Streets Alive Mission, Lethbridge Food Bank, and the Interfaith Food Bank have approximately 15,000 water bottles stored.
Community outreach organizations have been informed and will be delivering water to vulnerable individuals.
Water has been delivered to the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre and the Overdose Prevention Site Mobile Unit.
Any individual in need can come to either food bank in Lethbridge or Streets Alive to pick up water.
The City of Lethbridge Emergency Coordination Centre is aware and preparing for the heatwave. The Emergency Social Service team will be on standby to respond should it be required.
Available city facilities are being explored for use as Cooling Centers – indoor settings for people to cool off.
The Red Cross has been notified should the need to coordinate an emergency response arise.

Emergency Preparedness Manager, Luke Palmer, says the “peak hours for heat are between noon and 2:00 pm”, so stay inside or in a shaded area if it’s too hot.

Many areas could break heat records across Alberta during the week of June 28 to July 3.

by Connor Gunn

City advising residents of heatwave and how to stay cool

What's Happening