Health sector urged to take measures to minimize damage from natural disaster

After a summer of severe flooding, heat waves and a record number of wildfires, scientists are calling on Canadian health care workers to help their patients better prepare for extreme weather brought on by climate change.

At the national public health conference in Halifax on Wednesday, scientist Blair Feltmate said there are effective and inexpensive ways to reduce the impact of natural disasters. Some are very simple, such as cleaning gutters and check valves, installing a flood detector, or even installing blinds. Mr. Feltmate, president of the Center for Climate Change Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, told about 750 health care workers that they need to be able to advise their patients on the best methods of protection, especially those in the run-up to natural disasters. “We know possible, low-cost solutions to mitigate some of the impacts of flooding, wildfires and particularly extreme heat,” he said. And we are not implementing these solutions quickly enough.”

Mr. Feltmate said health care providers should print and distribute infographics produced by his center that illustrate some of the precautions they should take to prevent the effects of heat waves, floods or wildfires. The center focused its research on an illustrated page that includes a section on extreme weather. Most of the improvements listed cost little to nothing, such as removing mulch and plants near homes in fire-prone areas, checking plumbing for leaks, and using heavy-duty curtains and fans to reduce heat in homes during heat waves. More expensive recommendations include installing sump pumps, installing non-combustible screens on exterior vents, and replacing wooden fences near homes with wire or metal fences. Mr Feltmate says if you take the right precautions, the chance of your home being destroyed by a bushfire is reduced by 50 to 75 per cent.

“We need to step up our efforts”

Wednesday’s lecture was led by Public Health Agency of Canada Chief Administrator Dr. Theresa Tam, who told the assembled health professionals that climate change needs to be on everyone’s minds because it will impact every aspect of public health. “Public health actors can see the profound impacts of climate change by monitoring its impacts on the physical and mental health and well-being of our communities,” she explained at the conference. These consequences, she states, include “infectious diseases […], waterborne illnesses, respiratory and cardiovascular problems, heat stroke, dehydration and mental health consequences that affect all populations. Mr Feltmate believes there is a need to share tips to help protect people and homes from climate-related disasters because “climate change is here to stay.”

“This is irreversible, and I don’t mean that we shouldn’t do everything we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we should do everything we can to improve the situation,” he said. “But we are not going to reverse climate change. The situation will worsen in the future, which means we need to intensify our efforts,” he added. Persistent drought and months of above-average temperatures have increased the risk of a repeat of last year’s bushfires, prompting federal ministers to warn on April 10 of the need to combat climate change. The 2023 fire season is Canada’s worst on record. More than 15 million hectares burned, forcing more than 230,000 people from their homes. The fires have significantly worsened air quality across much of Canada and the United States.

Caption and photo credit: People stand on the edge of a flooded area near an abandoned car after a rainstorm in Halifax, Saturday, July 22, 2023. After a summer marked by severe flooding, heat waves and record numbers of wildfires, scientists are calling on Canadian health-care workers to help their patients prepare for natural disasters. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese.