The City of Kamloops is encouraging residents to prepare for another hot summer season, reminding people about the cooling options, support programs and community resources that become available when extreme heat warnings are issued.

Emergency Preparedness Manager Ty Helgason says heat events are a reality of life in Kamloops and can have wide-ranging impacts on residents, the environment and the local economy.

“It’s best to be prepared for the worst in that way and just generally be prepared going into the season knowing that in Kamloops we’re very likely to experience extreme heat,” Helgason said.

The city activates its heat alert response protocol when a heat warning is issued through the provincial BC Heat Alert and Response System.

According to Helgason, a heat warning for Kamloops is typically triggered when daytime temperatures are forecast to reach at least 35 C and overnight lows remain at or above 18 C for two consecutive days.

“What that means here in Kamloops is 35, 18, 35,” he explained. “If today there was a forecasted high of 35 or higher and then overnight the low didn’t go below 18 and then tomorrow the high was again 35 or higher, that would meet that criteria.”

Residents will not receive a Voyent Alert notification for heat warnings. Instead, information will be shared through the City of Kamloops website, social media channels and local media. Heat alerts will also appear through Environment and Climate Change Canada weather services and weather apps.

During heat warning activations, the city offers a range of cooling and support options.

“We’ve worked to try to activate existing community spaces,” Helgason said. “During extreme heat, we’ll have free drop-in seniors programming available, free public skating at any public skating that’s listed on our website, and we’ll also offer free public swimming, which can be accessed using a heat response pass.”

Heat response swim passes are available through participating social service agencies across the city. The city says residents who need a safe place to cool down can access passes through any of nine partner organizations.

Additional cooling options include outdoor water parks, misting stations, shaded parks, drinking fountains and other public spaces designed to help residents escape the heat.

The Kamloops Seniors Community Centre at 730 Cottonwood Avenue also remains available as a cooling option year-round. The facility is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beyond physical cooling spaces, city officials are emphasizing the importance of checking in on vulnerable neighbours and family members during extreme heat events.

“The neighbour health checks are an important part of the response,” Helgason said. “It’s just having an awareness of who your neighbours are and who might be vulnerable to extreme heat, and then what to watch for and what to do if you see signs of heat distress.”

People most at risk during extreme heat include seniors, infants and young children, individuals with limited mobility, people living alone, those who are pregnant and people with pre-existing health conditions.

The city says neighbourhood associations and community partners will help spread information during heat events, encouraging residents to watch for signs of heat-related illness and ensure vulnerable people have access to cooling options.

“We want residents to know that there are free and accessible options available throughout the community when a heat warning is issued,” Helgason said in a city news release. “Whether it’s a public swim, skating session, shaded park space, or support through one of our community partners, there are places people can go to cool down safely.”

More information about heat warnings, cooling locations and heat preparedness resources is available at the city’s heat response webpage.