Halifax residents warned to take precautions amid heat wave

 Holly Shaw tried to wait out the longest heat wave of the summer in the Maritimes, but she’s throwing in the towel and buying an air conditioner.

”It’s been unbearable. I have four fans going, I do have a dehumidifier, but that’s not quite enough,” says the Cole Harbour, N.S., resident.

Shaw lives in an apartment above a garage and those four fans aren’t enough to keep her home comfortable.

“It’s not liveable until the early evening when I can open all the windows again,” she says.

Holly Shaw buys an air conditioning unit. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

With the humidex making the feels-like temperature in the mid-to-high thirties for five of the last six days, Halifax’s Emergency Management Office (EMO) is encouraging residents to take precautions against the heat.

“It’s quite concerning. We are experiencing high temperatures so we’re seeing a lot of humidity as well so we’re concerned for our elderly population and infants and kids and anyone who might be more susceptible to heat,” EMO coordinator Maria Nemer says.

She says related illnesses are a real concern, especially in the midst of a lengthy heat wave that started last week.

“If they don’t have anything in their homes to cool down, it’s good to always close the blinds to stop the light from coming in. Going to areas that are air conditioned, so I like to go to the grocery store when it’s really hot and or the mall to walk around,” Nemer says.

Jenna Hurry has had her hands full keeping her three children cool.

“Lots of sprinkler time, lots of splash pad, pools. We just came from the Colby pool, lots of ways to cool down, ice cream,” she says.

On Monday she added a kiddie pool to her efforts.

“I’m going straight home to fill it up,” Hurry says.

She does have an air conditioner installed in her home, but the cost of keeping it running is starting to worry her.

“Our ACs are working overtime, they are sweating, they are literally pouring sweat on the outside, so I can imagine my power bill is going to pay the price.”

The lengthy heat wave is expected to continue at least until the middle of the week.

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