As Ottawa residents endured a heatwave last week, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) stepped up in incredible ways to ensure the well-being of our community. Their proactive measures, dedicated support and invaluable resources made a huge difference, helping us all get through the brutal temperatures safely.
On June 17, Ottawa Public Health launched an enhanced response to proactively address the multi-day heatwave through a comprehensive approach aimed at protecting the community, particularly those most at risk of heat illness and those most disadvantaged.
Partner outreach
OPH works closely with the City's Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold and Smog Planning Committee, school boards, long-term care homes and Ottawa Community Housing. Multilingual resources are shared with partners such as school boards, Events Central, building associations and property management companies.
OPH and partners have begun proactively checking in with clients. For example, OPH's Healthy Babies, Healthy Children team has been reaching out to pregnant families and families with young children to offer access to cool air and support.
With support from the Office of Emergency Management, OPH provided the Ottawa Fire Department with a list of high-rise buildings in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods that show a high percentage of residents aged 75 and over living alone, including those living in publicly funded social and affordable housing. The Ottawa Fire Department is using this list to assess the availability of access to air conditioning and to speak directly with property managers and residents to ensure they receive the information and support they need.
Community Engagement
OPH encourages residents to check on their neighbors, especially seniors and others at high risk for heatstroke. OPH's Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team has worked with community partners, including Refugee613 and Community Health and Resource Centers, to facilitate access to information and resources, as well as identify needs and hear from affected communities. OPH is disseminating multilingual information through intensive community outreach in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods, including multilingual social media groups on Facebook and WhatsApp. This information is being shared through multilingual social media groups on Facebook and WhatsApp.
OPH partnered with local media to ensure its messages reached a wide audience. Heat advisories, tips for staying safe, and information about available resources were broadcast regularly to keep the public informed and prepared.
Health Services and Support
Despite the challenges posed by the heatwave, OPH continued to provide essential health services. OPH's dedication to maintaining normal health services while meeting the additional demands brought on by the extreme weather demonstrated their commitment to the health of their entire community.
Community Engagement
OPH's community work helped them deal with the heatwave by encouraging neighbors who were especially vulnerable to the heat to check in on each other. This community solidarity ensured that no one had to deal with the heat alone.
I would like to thank the entire team at OPH for their continued efforts.
