Province to redeploy health staff to respond to heat and smoke

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“In acute care, staff is being increased in ERs to meet expected demand, and additional measures are being taken to keep people in hospital cool and safe.

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“I want to note in particular the challenge faced in acute care in some of our Interior Health hospitals in Kelowna, in Vernon, and in Kamloops, who will know some elective surgeries are being postponed in order to allow our staff to properly serve people under very challenging circumstances,” the minister said.

Dix points specifically at the Jubilee Hospital in Vernon which last weekend faced additional pressure of a possible evacuation order being issued on top of regular hospital operations.

The province is also redeploying BCEHS staff to support hospital offloads which will allow paramedics to get back on the road quicker and will help with 911 calls and dispatching.

“Once again the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., CUPE Local 873, will play a central role in B.C.’s emergency response through this heat wave,” said Dix.

“That means activation of on-call rural shifts to full time for the weekend period; pre-scheduling overtime on a pick-a-partner pick-a-time model; flexibility with pairing and utilizing EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) staff from the Lower Mainland and other areas by teaming them up with other paramedics, such as ACPs (Advanced Care Paramedic) and PCPs (Primary Care Paramedic); transfer cars for 911 will be staffed with EMR’s; we’ll be redeploying community paramedics as required; and managers will also be calling to emergency response calls,” Dix explained.

Meantime, home care workers have been directed to be extra vigilant of their patients and heat illness as the elderly and people with chronic health conditions are much more susceptible to heat.

The province also asks people to do their part to keep cool and stay safe from smoke as these weather events can cause serious problems for people’s health.

“We need to remind people that high indoor temperatures can be particularly dangerous for older adults, for those with chronic health conditions, and especially for susceptible people with health conditions that live alone who may not recognize the effects that the heat is having,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“We need to conduct regular checks on those of us in our communities, our friends, our families, individuals who live alone, particularly seniors who are at high risk of heat-related illness. We just don’t manage heat as well as we get older and we may not be aware of the effects it’s having on our body.”

Henry adds things people should be doing include:

• Identifying people who may be more at risk of heat illness;
• Develop a buddy system to check in on those who may be more at risk, particularly in the morning or evening;
• If people appear to be suffering from heat illness:
  • Move them to a cooler, indoor or shaded area;
  • Make sure they have water and the ability to cool themselves down.

Henry adds that communities across the province, including Vernon, are establishing cooling centres for people to go to escape the heat.

READ MORE: Cooling centres open in Vernon

She also notes that 911 should be called if someone is suffering severe heat illness. Henry says 811 can also be called for those who wish to learn more about heat illness.

In the meantime, Henry says people should work to stay cool and hydrated in the week to avoid getting sick from the heat. She advises people:

• Limit their exposure to the daytime heat and the smoke;
• Keep their houses cool;
• Drink lots of water;
• Limit physical activities to cooler periods of the day;
• Prepare to sleep in cooler rooms in the house;
• Never leave children or pets in vehicles.

Henry adds though the mercury will rise quite high this week, it will not be near as hot as the heat wave in late-June or early-July, though she does restate the importance of being heat and smoke safe any time Environment Canada issues a heat warning.