极端高温

Seniors drinking water

极端高温可能非常危险。了解中暑和热衰竭的症状以及如何为炎热季节做好准备,以保护您以及您的邻居、朋友和家人的健康。

风险较高的人群

不同的人对高温的反应不同,有些人因高温而受到健康影响的风险更高。保持凉爽对以下人群尤为重要:

  • 60 岁或以上的年长人士
  • 独居人士
  • 有糖尿病、心脏病或呼吸系统疾病等既往健康问题的人
  • 精神分裂症、抑郁症或焦虑症等精神疾病患者
  • 有致瘾物使用问题(包括酗酒)的人
  • 行动不便的人
  • 住房条件极差的人
  • 在高温环境中工作的人
  • 孕妇
  • 婴幼儿

可能受到高温影响的其他人。每个人会有不同的反应,所以要听从身体的感觉。

风险较高的人群

不同的人对高温的反应不同,有些人因高温而受到健康影响的风险更高。保持凉爽对以下人群尤为重要:

  • 60 岁或以上的年长人士
  • 独居人士
  • 有糖尿病、心脏病或呼吸系统疾病等既往健康问题的人
  • 精神分裂症、抑郁症或焦虑症等精神疾病患者
  • 有致瘾物使用问题(包括酗酒)的人
  • 行动不便的人
  • 住房条件极差的人
  • 在高温环境中工作的人
  • 孕妇
  • 婴幼儿

可能受到高温影响的其他人。每个人会有不同的反应,所以要听从身体的感觉。

经常查看邻居、朋友和家人的情况,确保他们能够保持环境凉爽,并已制定应对高温的计划。这可以挽救生命。

以往在极热天气中过世的人中,有很大的比例是离群索居,在家中去世的。

Cover of heath check-in support framework

温哥华沿岸卫生局 (VCH) 非政府机构高温健康检查支持框架

2022 年春,温哥华沿岸卫生局 (VCH) 健康环境团队与地方政府和社区机构合作,了解他们的需求,帮助他们进行高温健康检查,为社区居民提供支持。合作方对于如何进行高温健康检查确定了需要了解的信息,并对员工和接受检查的人员会提出的常见问题明确了相应的回答。高温健康检查可由接受过各种培训的工作人员或志愿者在不同的环境中进行。由于背景广泛,创建此框架的目的是便于各个组织选择与其环境背景最相符的信息,从而制定自己机构的健康检查计划。

下载高温健康检查支持框架

Steps to protect yourself and others from heat

The most dangerous aspect of heat waves for most people is high indoor temperatures. Spending time in a cool space and drinking plenty of water is the best way to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Wildfire smoke can also cause health problems. During both wildfire smoke and heat events, consider also filtering your air using HEPA air cleaners. Find out more about wildfire smoke.

  • Keep yourself and other people cool

    • Spend time in cooler indoor and outdoor spaces (i.e. community center, library or mall with air conditioning).
    • Drink plenty of water and other liquids to stay hydrated, even if you do not feel thirsty.
    • Cool off with a shower, bath or soaking part of your body in water.
    • Wear a wet shirt or damp towels to cool down.
    • Wear loose, light-coloured, breathable clothing.
    • Limit activity, especially during the hottest hours of the day (generally 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in B.C.).
    • Watch for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. For heat-vulnerable people, the risk for heat-related illness may increase at indoor temperatures over 26°C (78 °F) and may be very high at indoor temperatures over 31°C (88 °F).
  • Keep spaces cool

    • During the day, close windows and shades/blinds to trap cooler air inside and block the sun.
    • At night, open windows and doors when it is cooler outside (usually 9-10 p.m. in B.C.). Some bathroom and kitchen fans vent outside and can be used to remove warmer indoor air. Use portable fans to bring cool air into the home overnight.
    • Consider getting an air conditioner for your home. If you have air conditioning, be sure to turn it on.
    • Monitor indoor temperatures for yourself and those you are checking on. For heat-vulnerable people, the risk for heat-related illness may increase at indoor temperatures over 26°C (78 °F).

How to check-in and support others during hot weather

Checking in with someone during a heat wave can save lives. A heat check-in is a visit, call, or text to assess the heat-related safety of the home, if the person shows signs of heat-related illness, and if they need help. Anyone can do a heat check-in and health training is not required. 

caregiver with senior

NCCEH guide: How to check in with people during a heat wave

Use this guide from the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (NCCEH) to check in with family, friends, neighbours and other community members who may be at higher risk for heat illness. Available for download in English, French, Chinese and Punjabi.

Learn more

extreme heat check in thumbnail

VCH guide for community organizations checking in with people during heat waves

Heat check-ins happen in a variety of settings and are carried out by organizational staff or volunteers with diverse training. This framework was created so organizations may select the information that is most relevant to their setting to develop their own organizational heat check-in plans.

Learn more

senior with a family member outdoors

Heat check-in training (video)

Watch this video and go through the practice scenarios to learn the basic steps of a heat check-in.

Watch video

adults speaking to each other

Heat check-in: Train the trainer (video)

This train-the-trainer video resource is for organizations training their staff or volunteers to do heat check-ins.

Watch video

Cooling centres and cooling spaces

Map BC Housing

Local weather, shelter, and emergency information

During extreme heat events, it is important to spend time in cool spaces. Several cities and towns in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region operate specialized cooling centres or encourage people to use other public spaces to cool down (like libraries, community centres and parks). Misting and water fill station stations may also be provided during a heat event.

Learn more

Sign directing to a cooling centre

Creating cooling spaces during hot weather

Evidence-informed public health guidance for community organizations to set up and operate inclusive, acceptable, and effective cool spaces in a variety of facilities.

Learn more

extreme heat policy

Policy tools to create and support cooler, safer indoor living spaces

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) conducted a review of policy and regulatory options that could increase thermal safety in homes within the VCH health region. In addition to describing a variety of policy options, findings indicate that multiple policy interventions at different levels of government are needed, as are strategies to overcome significant challenges relating to cost and feasibility, and to avoid unintended consequences.

Learn more

“Heat Warnings” and “Extreme Heat Emergencies”

In response to the 2021 BC heat dome, multiple health sector partners, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) developed the BC Heat Alert and Response System (BC HARS). This two-level alert system lays out the criteria that ECCC will use to declare a Heat Warning (Level 1) or an Extreme Heat Emergency (Level 2), the appropriate public health messaging for both types of alerts, and the recommended actions for the health sector, local governments, and other partners. 

Read more about the BC HARS on the BCCDC website.

Alerts

  • Heat Warning (Level 1)

    Threat: Daytime and overnight temperatures are higher than seasonal norms and holding steady.
    Action: Take the usual steps to stay cool and check on people at higher risk from heat.

  • Extreme Heat Emergency (Level 2)

    Threat: Daytime and overnight temperatures are higher than seasonal norms and getting hotter every day. 
    Action: Activate your emergency plan and check on people at higher risk from heat at least once a day. 

Extreme heat research and data

extreme heat graphics for visualizing climate action

Vancouver’s Indoor HEAT Study (2021-2023)

This multi-year Indoor HEAT Study collected indoor air temperature, building, and household data from Vancouver residents to better understand indoor heat exposure and inform recommendations for keeping homes safely cool.

Read the results of the study

bc heat dome extreme heat

2021 BC heat dome and VCH ER visits

Following the 2021 BC heat dome, the VCH Public Health Surveillance Unit studied emergency room visit data in collaboration with VCH and Providence Health Care Emergency Medicine programs. This event led to a substantial increase in Emergency Department visits related to heat-related illness in VCH hospitals. These visit rates varied significantly by area of residence and age.

Read the full report

extreme heat thumbnail

Coming soon: VCH CLEAR Report

The Climate, Lived Experience, And Resilience (“CLEAR”) Community Consultation Report recognizes the unique knowledge and insights of people with lived experience of climate-related events. CLEAR has been an ongoing engagement process since the 2021 BC Heat Dome, which involved engagement and community consultation to hear and learn from equity-deserving populations on lived experiences from the 2021 BC Heat Dome.

Read the full report

极端高温应对资源

    • 极端高温海报

    • 极端高温海报

    • Extreme heat preparedness guide

      PreparedBC

    • Health checks during extreme heat events guide

      NCCEH

    • Fans in extreme heat FAQ

      Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health

    • Build your own cool kit

      Vancouver Coastal Health and the City of Vancouver (Find at the bottom of the page); Available in: English, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese.

    • Heat-related illness in infants and young children

      HealthLink BC; Available in: English, Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Farsi, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

    • Prepared together for extreme heat

      Building Resilient Neighbourhoods and Hey Neighbour Collective; Neighbour-to-neighbour connections may save lives during heat events. See tips to connect, learn, & collaborate with neighbours.

    • AC Care

      Aboriginal Housing Management Association; Recommendations on safe and efficient operation of portable air conditioning units.

    • Extreme heat poster

      VCH & Fraser Health (English, Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Hindi, Korean, Farsi, Punjabi, Spanish, Urdu, Vietnamese and Gujarati)

    • Extreme heat poster

      VCH & Fraser Health (English, Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Hindi, Korean, Farsi, Punjabi, Spanish, Urdu, Vietnamese and Gujarati)

    • Extreme heat poster

      VCH & Fraser Health (English, Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Hindi, Korean, Farsi, Punjabi, Spanish, Urdu, Vietnamese and Gujarati)

    • Health checks during extreme heat events guide

      NCCEH (English, French, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese)

    • Heat check-In training slides

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Heat check-in training: Train the trainer slides

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Heat check-in practice scenarios

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Heat check-in practice scenarios: Facilitation guide

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Extreme heat preparedness guide

      PreparedBC (English, French, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese)

    • Heat related illness

      HealthLink BC (available in multiple languages)

    • Beat the heat

      HealthLink BC (English, Arabic, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Farsi, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukranian and Vietnamese)

    • Heat stress information for workers

      WorkSafe BC

    • Sample Heat and Wildfire Smoke Plan for Local Governments

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Heat response planning for Southern Interior B.C. communities: A toolkit

      Interior Health; Learn what your community can do to prepare for heat.

    • Outdoor Gatherings Guidance

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Heat-check in support framework for non-governmental organizations

      VCH

    • Emergency support for seniors framework

      Renfrew-Collingwood Seniors' Society

    • Child care facilities and heat

      VCH

    • Long-term care facilities and heat

      VCH

    • Resource guide: Heat Planning

      VCH and Health Emergency Management BC; How community care facilities can begin heat planning and recommended months for each step.

    • Heat Response Plan Template

      VCH and Health Emergency Management BC; Fillable heat response plan template for community care facilities.

    • Site assessment checklist

      VCH and Health Emergency Management BC; Detailed site and clinical checklists to assist community care facilities with heat planning.

    • Resident risk identification guidance

      VCH and Health Emergency Management BC; Criteria to identify residents in community care facilities at highest risk from heat-related illness.

    • Heat response preparation checklists

      VCH and Health Emergency Management BC; Brief checklist for community care facilities to complete before each heat season.

    • Heat response temperature log

      Vancouver Coastal Health and Health Emergency Management BC; Indoor temperature recording template for community care facilities.

    • Heat response checklist

      Vancouver Coastal Health and Health Emergency Management BC; Daily readiness check for community care facilities during heat alerts.

    • Heat-related illness: Prevention and Management in Community Care Facilities

      Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care

    • Extreme Heat Guidance for Restaurants

      Vancouver Coastal Health

    • Pool Operators on Extreme Heat and Smoke

      Fraser Health

    • Recommended actions for owners and managers of rental and/or strata housing

      By VCH & Fraser Health

    • For landlords and stratas: Heat planning resources for housing providers

      BC Housing

    • Heat Stress

      WorkSafe BC

    • How to be a heat-healthy business leader

      Fraser Health

Resources for health professionals