An investigation into hundreds of deaths in British Columbia during a weather phenomenon known as the “heat dome” showed that almost all of the deaths occurred indoors.
Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe and a death review panel released a report Tuesday, saying 98 percent of the deaths happened indoors. The report also revealed that 67% of those who died were 70 years of age or older and 56% lived alone.
The extreme heat in 2021 claimed 619 lives across the province, with temperatures breaking records and surpassing 40 ° C for several days in a row in late June and early July. BC saw quadrupling the number of deaths that the region usually sees during this time.
“We are saddened to hear confirmation that 619 lives were lost in last year’s unprecedented heatwave,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in response to the report. “Last year’s extreme heat emergency was a tragedy and our hearts are on the families and friends of those who continue to mourn the loss of loved ones.”
Describing a list of recommendations in a report by a group of experts in the field, BC Forensic Service Medical Director Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said that climate change-related emergencies will continue. feeling a problem.
“We know that future heat events like last summer’s are sure to happen,” he said. “Together we can help make sure we are prepared to respond and prevent any preventable loss of life.”
The panel’s recommendations included implementing a coordinated heat alert response system, identifying and supporting vulnerable populations, and creating long-term mitigation strategies.
Farnworth said officials have yet to review the recommendations, but said “many of the report’s recommendations are complete or ongoing.”
Jay Ritchlind of the David Suzuki Foundation told CTV News that the report and all recent weather events (extreme heat and rain) are evidence of why governments need to prepare for the future.
“Every provincial and federal municipal government needs to take this seriously and make investments to be prepared,” he added.
WHO WERE THE VICTIMS?
The report revealed more information about who the victims of the 2021 heat dome were, suggesting which vulnerable populations should be supported in the future, as recommended by the panel.
“The people who died were people who, for a myriad of reasons, were overwhelmed by the effects of the extreme heat,” Baidwan said. “Most did not have access to cooler buildings or air-conditioned spaces. Many were older adults with chronic health problems. Many had reported feeling unwell and having difficulty coping with the heat conditions we were facing. “.
For example, the report said heat-related deaths were higher among people with a history of chronic illnesses, such as those with schizophrenia, substance use disorder, epilepsy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, asthma, anxiety and mood disorders and diabetes. .
In addition, reports said more than 60 percent of those who died had seen a medical professional during the month before his death.
More of those who died “lived in socially or materially disadvantaged neighborhoods” and most did not have adequate cooling systems in their homes.
Nearly three-quarters of the deaths were caused by coastal health authorities in Fraser and Vancouver, and most did not have adequate refrigeration systems, such as air conditioners or fans.
Rowan Burge of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition said the report lacked the experiences of the most vulnerable.
“I think the report needs to go much further in terms of recommendations, especially on helping people with disabilities, the elderly and low-income people in our neighborhoods,” Burge told CTV News.
“Extreme heat is a public health problem and given the growing impacts of climate change, we must be prepared to expect more extreme heat in the coming years,” Health Minister Adrian Dix told a news conference. press Tuesday.
DELAYED ANSWER?
The panel’s report also suggested a slow response from agencies in charge of warning the public about the extreme heat, saying there was “a delay between the heat alerts issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada” and how they responded. public agencies and individuals.
“Extreme heat emergency alerts should be combined with clear protocols to ensure that no time is wasted in responding to a heat emergency,” Baidwan said. “Protocols must recognize the severity of the emergency and the potential for a mass casualty event.”
Emergency crews were also affected, and 911 callers suffered significant delays in some cases.
According to the report, 29 percent of 911 calls took longer than the five-second service level target to be answered between June 26 and 30. On June 29, 52 percent of calls took more than five seconds to answer.
For some, it was even worse. The report said that in 17 cases, people who called 911 “were put on hold for an extended period of time” and in six cases, “they were told that no ambulance was available at the time of the call “.
This, in turn, according to the report, made people not recognize the gravity of the situation.
“How many of us. with the heart, did you really take the time to knock on someone’s door and ask if they were okay? How many of us realized that there really was a serious heat event? ”Dr. Baidwan asked.
He went on to say that the failure was not in public health, but in our way of life, and added that most BC buildings are designed to keep heat inside, not outside.
COORDINATED HEAT ALERTS
One of the panel’s recommendations is to commission the province to adopt a heat alert and response system, or HARS, through a pilot project later this month. Part of this includes classifying extreme weather events as “heat warning” or “extreme heat emergency.”
On Monday, the province expanded its Alert Ready system, which sends notifications to cell phones, to include both heat warnings and extreme heat emergencies.
The criterion for the first alert is when there are two or more consecutive days when the maximum daytime temperature is above the normal threshold.
The province said the heat warning alert would go off when there is a moderate increase in health risk.
This type of alert is expected to be issued up to three times in the summer.
A second extreme heat emergency can be declared when the risk is high for the public and maximum daytime temperatures exceed the threshold for three days or more.
The government predicts that this kind of alert could occur twice in a decade.
Featuring files by Regan Hasegawa, Bhinder Sajan and Penny Daflos from CTV News Vancouver