Three fire hydrants to be used to help cool down Regina residents

The City of Regina is trying to find new ways for people to beat the heat.

New attachments are being added to some fire hydrants across the city. The device acts as a fountain to fill up water bottles and cool off pets. The city is considering adding a mister to the device as well.

The attachments will be added to three fire hydrants in Core Community Park (Montreal Street and 11th Avenue), Victoria Park (Scarth Street and 12th Avenue) and Buffalo Meadows Park (Montague Street and Eighth Avenue).

Kim Olsen, the emergency preparedness and business continuity manager with the City of Regina, said the attachments are coming soon.

Sarah Kozusko, the manager at the Queen City Wellness Pharmacy, said staff there will be busy all summer long helping people beat the heat.

“We consider ourselves a safe space,” she said. “People can always come in here and just cool off.”

The pharmacy also provides water and will go through a lot of it, according to Kozusko.

The pharmacy also offers freezies and weather-appropriate clothing on top of its existing services.

She said the store is always looking for donations of water bottles and freezies.

“We make sure they get to our community members that need them,” said Kozusko.

The City of Regina has an extreme weather strategy. It consists of various community-based organizations, the province and the city joining forces during extreme weather to help citizens who are the most vulnerable.

The city follows Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) when it comes to issuing an extreme heat warning.

ECCC issues extreme heat warnings when temperatures are expected to reach daytime highs of 32 C or warmer and nighttime lows of 16 C or warmer for two consecutive days. A warning is also issued when two or more consecutive days with humidex values of at least 38 C are expected.

Regina Transit also offers a safe bus program. Under that program, people can put up their hand to flag down a bus and bus drivers are trained to stop and pick up those in need. The city’s fire stations also have bottled water available.

There are also various cooling stations across the city. The full list is available on the City of Regina website.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an amended version of this story, correcting the location of one of the hydrants being used in the project.