Latest news with #heatrelief
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cooling bus run by former CRAB Park residents providing heat relief in Downtown Eastside
A cooling bus run by former residents of the CRAB Park encampment is taking to the streets of Vancouver this summer, stopping in parks and streets around the Downtown Eastside to provide people with relief from the heat. The community initiative offers cold water, snacks, hot weather gear and harm reduction supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Organizers say they're aiming to fill a service gap amid funding cuts to some other support services in the area and a daytime camping ban that means unhoused people aren't allowed to set up shelters during the hottest hours of the summer. The initiative is staffed by a team of about 35 people, many of them former residents of the CRAB Park encampment, which the city closed down last November. One of those former residents, Larry Cocksedge, said running the cooling bus feels like a way to give back to a community that has helped him out many times. "Not everybody gets to eat every day, and if we can provide them a snack and a water or a freezie, or something to help them cool down, it's just amazing," he told CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. Fiona York, a housing advocate who spearheaded the bus idea, said staff are trained in overdose prevention and can offer expertise that people who aren't a part of the community can't. For instance, she said, they know what areas of the neighbourhood to go to to reach people who are the most in need, or who can't get to physical cooling centres or support services themselves. York said they have cold water, ice packs, cool towels and electrolytes. She said with rising temperatures this week, there is an especially high need for help. WATCH | Community-run cooling bus helping DTES residents to beat the heat: The City of Vancouver said it's provided more than 6,200 cooling kits to local organizations over the last three years. In an email to CBC News, a city spokesperson said some cooling centres extend their hours during extreme weather conditions, and that the centres are free for everyone. An online city map shows the locations of spray parks, misting stations and cooling centres. For those running the cooling bus, it's about helping out their neighbours. "The system has failed a lot of people," peer mentor Natasha Shingoose said. "But instead of turning away, we're coming together as a community to show up for one another." York said they are fundraising and hoping to run a warming bus come winter.
CBC
17-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Cooling bus run by former CRAB Park residents providing heat relief in Downtown Eastside
Social Sharing A cooling bus run by former residents of the CRAB Park encampment is taking to the streets of Vancouver this summer, stopping in parks and streets around the Downtown Eastside to provide people with relief from the heat. The community initiative offers cold water, snacks, hot weather gear and harm reduction supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Organizers say they're aiming to fill a service gap amid funding cuts to some other support services in the area and a daytime camping ban that means unhoused people aren't allowed to set up shelters during the hottest hours of the summer. The initiative is staffed by a team of about 35 people, many of them former residents of the CRAB Park encampment, which the city closed down last November. One of those former residents, Larry Cocksedge, said running the cooling bus feels like a way to give back to a community that has helped him out many times. "Not everybody gets to eat every day, and if we can provide them a snack and a water or a freezie, or something to help them cool down, it's just amazing," he told CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. Fiona York, a housing advocate who spearheaded the bus idea, said staff are trained in overdose prevention and can offer expertise that people who aren't a part of the community can't. For instance, she said, they know what areas of the neighbourhood to go to to reach people who are the most in need, or who can't get to physical cooling centres or support services themselves. York said they have cold water, ice packs, cool towels and electrolytes. She said with rising temperatures this week, there is an especially high need for help. WATCH | Community-run cooling bus helping DTES residents to beat the heat: Cooling bus offers water, resources for Downtown Eastside residents 11 hours ago Residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside have a new resource to help them beat the heat this summer. It's described as a cooling bus, part of a grassroots initiative offering people bottled water and other supplies as temperatures soar. Amelia John went along for a ride. The City of Vancouver said it's provided more than 6,200 cooling kits to local organizations over the last three years. In an email to CBC News, a city spokesperson said some cooling centres extend their hours during extreme weather conditions, and that the centres are free for everyone. An online city map shows the locations of spray parks, misting stations and cooling centres. For those running the cooling bus, it's about helping out their neighbours. "The system has failed a lot of people," peer mentor Natasha Shingoose said. "But instead of turning away, we're coming together as a community to show up for one another."
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Hot and humid conditions set to end when cooler airmass arrives in Ottawa later today
Ottawa residents will have to sweat through one more day of hot and humid conditions, before some relief arrives tonight and on Friday. A heat warning remains in effect for the City of Ottawa and eastern Ontario, calling for the 'heat event' to continue today. 'A cooler airmass is expected to arrive late this afternoon or early evening bringing an end to this heat event,' Environment Canada said in a statement. The forecast calls for a high of 29 C today, with the humidex making it feel like 39. This is the seventh day of the heat warning for Ottawa, with five days of temperatures above 30 C and the sixth day having a temperature of 29 C. It will be mainly cloudy today with a 70 per cent chance of showers late this morning and this afternoon. There is a risk of a thunderstorm. Cloudy tonight with a 40 per cent chance of evening showers. High 12 C. Friday will be sunny. High 24 C with the humidex making it feel like 26. Saturday will see a mix of sun and cloud. High 26 C. The outlook for Sunday calls for a mix of sun and cloud with a 40 per cent chance of showers. High 25 C. Monday will be mainly sunny. High 29 C. The normal temperatures for this time of year are a high of 27 C and a low of 16 C.
CTV News
12-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables
This image released by Warmies shows plush animal toys that can be popped in the freezer to provide cooling comfort. (Warmies via AP) You can only sit in front of the fridge with the door open for so long. As heat waves blast the world like a blow dryer on high, folks are reaching for anything that promises a little personal chill: portable mini fans, cooling neck wraps, high-tech vests and all kinds of heat-beating headwear. Of course, cooling gear helps most when paired with basic and safe strategies against the heat: most importantly hydration, shade and rest. Stay out of extreme heat when possible, and know the signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Yet these wearable wonders and breezy gadgets can offer some relief. They might look quirky, but when the AC struggles and the sidewalk feels like a stovetop, they can start to seem like must-haves. When you're at home Indoors, stay comfy with cool-feel sheets (like those with a silky finish or lightweight fibers), bed fans (where a nozzle inserted into the bed linens pumps a flow of air around you), or a cooling pillow or chill pad, which are filled with a gel that can stay cool for hours. Sleep-product brands include Serta, Sealy, Casper, Pluto and Threshold. The chill pads can work for your own bed and the pets' bed too. There are chillable full-size mattresses (Chilipad, 8Sleep and BedJet get good reviews from The Spruce) and smaller, simple pads (CoolCare and Sharper Image, among others). Outdoor wearables Clare Epstein, an employee safety expert with Vector Solutions in Tampa, Florida, works to reduce heat stress for at-risk employees in industries like construction, aviation and agriculture. She recommends wearables like cooling scarves and evaporative cooling vests. 'By soaking the fabric in cold water at the beginning of the day, the vest slowly cools, and keeps the wearer cool,' she says. Clothes made of 'phase change materials,' or PCMs, contain gel capsules or pads that can help moderate body temperatures. advertises a vest that stays under 60 degrees for a few hours, and AlphaCool offers a neck tube that performs similarly. Another feature of the tube, which is made of a polymer material, is that it doesn't get overly chilled, so it's safe for kids to use. Also for kids, there's a line of plush toys from Warmies that includes little critters of the farmyard, ocean, forest and safari that can be popped in the freezer before a trip to the park or playground. Wearable items that incorporate small fans or thermoelectric coolers are also good, Epstein says. And there are vests with tubed reservoirs you can fill with water or electrolytes so you can sip as you go. 'These encourage people to take more water breaks, and stay hydrated,' says Epstein. The wearables range is extensive. Along with cooling buffs, headbands, wristbands, socks and scarves, there are cooling brimmed hats and ball caps. Brands include Mission, Ergodyne, and Sunday Afternoon. If you'd prefer a refreshing breeze, USB-chargeable handheld or wearable fans might do the job. The Campbell family of Calgary This undated photo shows the Campbell family, wearing sun protection shirts and hats, posing for a photo during a hike in the Rocky Mountains near their Calgary, Alberta home, (Lynn Campbell via AP) (Photo: AP/Campbell family) Chill advice Lynn Campbell, co-founder of 10Adventures travel company in Calgary, Alberta, takes a lot of strenuous hiking and cycling trips with her husband, Richard. They've developed some easy hacks for hot days. 'We'll wake up early, so we're done by 10 or 11 a.m., or if we're out on the trails, split the day in two, so we rest by water or in the shade over the hottest part' of the day, she says. Wear light colors and thin, breathable fabrics. And bring an umbrella. 'This is a game-changer,' Campbell says. 'Now we always pack ultralight, compact ones; they're incredible.' Also, pour cool water on your head and back. 'We freeze a few bottles of water so we can pour ice water on us to cool down,' Campbell says. 'Putting the bottles under the armpits, in the groin, or on the back of the neck can effectively cool a person down.' And Annita Katee, a contributing writer for Apartment Therapy, has another way to prep your bed on hot nights: 'Pop your sheets into the freezer at least two hours before bedtime, then pull them out right before you hit the sack,' she wrote in a recent post. She folds hers into a zipped plastic bag, flattens it, then sets it on a freezer shelf between ice packs. 'The result? A delightfully cool bed that feels like a refreshing oasis against the heat.' ___ New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The AP. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.
NHK
05-07-2025
- NHK
Ancient lotus flowers in full bloom at park northwest of Tokyo
Ancient lotus flowers are in full bloom in the city of Gyoda, northwest of Tokyo. The ancient lotus of Gyoda was grown from seeds that were excavated in construction work conducted in the city in the 1960s and 1970s. The seeds were discovered in a geological layer more than 1400 years old. They germinated by themselves. The Ancient Lotus Park in Gyoda City grows about 100,000 of the flowers. Pink lotuses, with a diameter of around 20 centimeters, have entered full bloom. Many people visited the park from the early morning on Friday as lotus flowers are believed to be most beautiful at that time, when they begin to blossom. A woman in her 70s said she was impressed by the beauty of the flowers, which have been around since ancient times. She said that just looking at the flowers made her feel relieved from heat exhaustion. The ancient lotus blossoms are expected to reach their peak by mid-July.
