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Lethbridge region prepares for sweltering week

Click to play video: 'Lethbridge prepares for ‘scorcher’ of a week'
Lethbridge prepares for ‘scorcher’ of a week
Lethbridge residents are bracing for a sweltering week after Environment Canada released a heat warning for the region. As Emily Olsen reports, some agencies are seeking donations to help keep those experiencing homelessness safe and hydrated – Aug 17, 2020

Lethbridge is bracing for extreme heat this week. 

Temperatures hit 36 C on Monday, and that trend expected to continue.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning, urging people to be extra cautious. Children, pets and those with chronic conditions are at a higher risk of health-related complications from the extreme heat. 

Lethbridge County announced a fire ban on Monday afternoon, cancelling all fire permits but still allowing for barbecues

The City Of Lethbridge is offering a few hot weather tips:

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  •       Drink plenty of liquids especially water before you feel thirsty to decrease your risk of dehydration.
  •       Frequently visit neighbours, friends and older family members, especially those who are chronically ill, to make sure that they are cool and hydrated.
  •       Reschedule or plan outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day.
  •       Take a break from the heat by spending a few hours in a cool place.
  •       Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle or in direct sunlight.

Streets Alive Mission founder Ken Kissick said for many people experiencing homelessness in the community, following these tips isn’t an option.

“With the heat wave that’s coming, the population that we serve [are] not able to get in and cool off like the rest of us who can come into a building,” Kissick explained.

“Hydration is important to all of us and [we have] about 1,200 bottles of water. We’ll go through those in three days.”

Click to play video: 'Beating the heat during the COVID-19 pandemic: ‘It’s a hard line to walk’'
Beating the heat during the COVID-19 pandemic: ‘It’s a hard line to walk’

He says Streets Alive is urgently looking for donations of bottled water and money for bottled water to provide to people in need of relief.

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“We have our outreach team that will go out this afternoon and again this evening to make sure that the people have water to drink,” Kissick said. “So the biggest need we have right now is, we’re looking at five or six days of this so we could use another three or four days of water.”

Temperatures for the remainder of the week are projected to remain in the low 30s without much rain in sight. 

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