Township of Uxbridge Resident Heat Stress Contingency Plan 1 ...

Township of Uxbridge Resident Heat Stress Contingency PlanDate: July 16, 20121. POLICYThe Township of Uxbridge recognizes the potential health problems caused by hightemperatures for the residents of the municipality. Heat Stress can be extremelydangerous to both staff and residents in our Township. To reduce the potential for heatrelatedillness to members of community, the Township of Uxbridge has developed thefollowing Heat Stress Contingency Plan to be used in conjunction with the Heat StressPolicy.This policy requires the full cooperation of all members of the Township of Uxbridge team:Council Members, Senior Management, local Hall Boards and Township employees. Thereference guide called the Heat Stress Awareness Guide shall be used as a referenceguide when monitoring and evaluating the potential for heat-related problems. The HeatStress Policy developed for Township staff shall provide the means of evaluating whatshall constitute an Emergency Heat Day.2. DEFINITIONSHumidex: The index number used by Canadian meteorologists to describe how hot theweather feels to the average person, by combining the effect of heat and humidity.Heat Related Illness: Those illnesses that have the main contributing factor of eitherhigher heat or increased sun exposure. These include by may not be limited to: HeatRash, Sunburn, Heat Cramps, Fainting, Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke.Cooling Centre: A building or facility that provides air conditioning.3. PROCEDURES1. A humidex reading of 45 degrees minimum or a temperature reading of 36 degreesCelsius shall constitute an heat emergency day.2. Readings would be taken at the Uxbridge Arena for both the humidex and thetemperature. The Director of Facilities would make the decision whether the readingsmet the Township standard for declaring a heat emergency day.3. The following halls would be utilized as Cooling Centres for a heat emergency day:Uxbridge Community Centre (Arena), Goodwood Community Centre, SandfordCommunity Centre, Uxbridge Seniors Community Centre, and Zephyr CommunityCentre.4. Signs would be placed in front of these locations indicating they are open as CoolingCentres.Page 1 of 2

5. Each centre shall have a minimum of one staff member stationed at the CoolingCentre when open from Monday to Friday. Those staff who normally work outdoors inphysical jobs such as Parks Department staff shall be utilized on these days.6. If a Cooling Centre is required to be open on a Saturday or Sunday, volunteers fromhall boards and/or community organizations shall be utilized.4. RESPONSIBILITIES4.1. Supervisor/ManagerEnsure measurements are taken and recorded on a daily basis.Ensure employees are delegated to facilities and keys are available to employees forthe facility they are covering.Ensure employees have first aid training specifically dealing with heat emergencies.Provide advertising as required for the program.4.2. EmployeesFollow the Heat Stress Policy and the recommendations of the Heat Stress AwarenessTools.Monitor residents utilizing the Cooling Centres for signs and symptoms of heat relatedillnesses.Provide customer service to the standards accepted by the Township of Uxbridge to allresidents utilizing the Cooling Centres.Page 2 of 2