Hey everyone, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations centre has been activated to support the opening of several cooling centres, in response to the heat warning issued by Environment Canada, and has circulated an information bulletin with additional information — we are passing on the information in that bulletin here for you.
Elevated temperatures over several days put seniors, children, people with underlying health conditions and those who do not have access to air conditioning at greater risk of heat-related illness.
Starting June 27, the following locations will be available as cooling centres for the community:
City of Kelowna
- Parkinson Activity Centre, 1700 Parkinson Way, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Rutland Activity Centre, 765 Dodd Rd., 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
City of West Kelowna
- Lakeview Heights Baptist Church, 2630 Alhambra Dr., 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
District of Peachland
- Peachland Community Centre, 4450 6th Street, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations bulletin outlines COVID-19 safety at cooling centres:
- Centres will follow Provincial Health Orders for COVID-19 to keep populations safe
- Centres will have supplies of water, masks and hand sanitizer on-hand
- Physical distancing measures will be in place
- Wearing masks in the cooling centres is required per the guidelines for cooling centres from the BC Centre for Disease Control.
The cooling centres will remain open until the heat wave subsides. Additional cooling centres may open in the coming week. Keep an eye on local news and cordemergency.ca. CORD Emergency officials recommend checking on neighbours and family to ensure that they are staying cool, keeping hydrated and determining whether they need any assistance.
