'A little toasty out there': Advice for managing Saskatchewan's high temperatures

Heat warnings continue to soar across Saskatchewan, and while it is important to enjoy these summer months, it is also important to stay healthy in these temperatures.

Dr. Maurice Hennink is a medical officer for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and he spoke with CTV about how folks can stay safe outside.

“Careful of hydration, drink water regularly and sports drinks and so on, that is important. And then wear appropriate clothing. A hat is very important as well as sunglasses to protect the eyes which is important and another thing is sunscreen,” he said.

The weather can be a particular challenge for those who work outside during the day.

Jesse Wiebe is the owner of Wiebe’s Roofing, and he shared how his team accounts for the weather.

“It gets a little toasty out there, so we just make sure that we have lots of micro breaks, stay hydrated, long sleeves seem to help out a lot,” he said.

The City of Saskatoon implemented its extreme heat and air quality response plan, which is monitored by the Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization.

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This plan designates various areas of the city as “cool down locations” in addition to patterning organizations distributing water.

“Get a buddy system in place, we usually say keep an eye on one another because if somebody starts getting affected by heat, they often don’t recognize it in themselves,” Dr Hennink said.

The City of Regina employs many workers who spend their days outside. According to the city, they follow a “corporate safety manual” which has guidelines for managing the heat, including working in temperatures up to 45 C, after which work can only proceed if medically supervised.

While Wiebe’s company doesn’t have a designated temperature to call off work for the day, they do collectively make decisions on days when his workers’ health and safety are at risk.

“We just kind of communicate with each other pretty openly, and if it looks like it’s a good idea to kind of shut her down early, that’s what we do,” he said.

The SHA said some signs to watch out for when it comes to heat are exhaustion or dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Dr Hennink said people experiencing those symptoms should seek a cool place and drink water. If it progresses to heat stroke, call 911 immediately.