The blistering heat in 2021 sent 18 people to hospital in Howe Sound, including seven people to the emergency department of the Squamish General Hospital.
In the summer of 2021, Squamish experienced extreme heat well above the historical average of June which is typically a high of 23 degrees. The most extreme heat in 2021 was recorded from June 20 to July 6 with the highest recorded temperature reaching 42.6 degrees Celsius on June 28.
During this period, there were 18 heat related hospitalizations to VCH emergency departments in the Howe Sound Region (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton), of which seven were in the emergency department at Squamish General Hospital.
The District of Squamish is applying to the Union of B.C. Municipalities for the 2022 Extreme Heat Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning Grant under the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.
This project will undertake three activities to mitigate the impacts of future heat events in the community:
Mapping: Building upon the Heat Risk Index developed by Vancouver Coastal Health, District will acquire local data and analyze it to look at potential gaps in resources, especially for vulnerable populations.
Risk Assessment: District will undertake a detailed extreme heat risk assessment that looks at the vulnerabilities of the population in terms of environmental, social and economic risk factors.
Risk Reduction Strategies: Based on the outcomes of the mapping and risk assessments, a detailed risk assessment report will be developed to identify how the District can reduce the impacts of an extreme heat emergency
