Sask. ambulance service sees increase in calls during last heat wave

The last heat wave that hit Saskatchewan last week led to some busy days for paramedics in Prince Albert.

“It was a wide range of people that suffered from the heat last week,” said Lyle Karasiuk who is the Director of Public Affairs with Parkland Ambulance Care in Prince Albert. “They range from folks who don’t have shelter to folks who simply don’t have any air conditioning or means to keep cool.

Karasiuk didn’t have specific numbers to share in regards to how many heat-related calls they had to respond to – but he did mention a lot of the calls had to do with people experiencing dehydration.

“Most of the time that we’re going to see people suffering from heat-related problems are going to be (because of a) lack of fluids and a lack of ability for people to cool down,” he stated.

Karasiuk added there is an easy way to tell if you’re dehydrated.

“If your body is telling you you’re thirsty, you’re already about a litre down in your fluid intake for the day,” he said. “If you can prevent yourself from feeling thirsty, then you’re probably well on your way to keeping yourself well hydrated.”

For those without the luxury of air conditioning – Karasiuk recommends you have a cold shower or have fans throughout your home. If that doesn’t work Karasiuk suggests you should go to a public place to cool off like a library, mall, or a cooling station if your city provides it.

Karasiuk reiterated that staying hydrated during big heat waves like the one we’ll see later this week will be key and that drinks like pop or beer won’t help quench your thirst.

“I try to tell people to stay away from soda pop or anything that’s a sugar base. And while a wonderful cold beverage like a beer on the back deck with friends sure feels great – it does really nothing to hydrate you because alcohol doesn’t really work as a hydration fluid,” he said.

“Grab yourself some water – if plain old water doesn’t cut it then put some fruit in it. Try to stay away from the sugary stuff and the alcoholic beverages if you’re trying to stay hydrated,” Karasiuk added.

Temperatures throughout Saskatchewan are expected to reach into the 30s by the weekend.

Karasiuk reminds everyone to wear a hat, wear sunscreen, check on their neighbours and continue to eat during the heat wave.