As roasting heat continues to engulf the city of London, city authorities and local communities are ramping up efforts to protect the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Executive Director Sarah Campbell of Ark Aid Street Mission says that volunteers and staff have worked extra hours beyond their usual four hours to keep people safe.
We’re open during the extreme heat from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and then we reopen for night service from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.,” Campbell said. “People have been coming in with added needs like heat exhaustion, dehydration. We’re doing everything we can to create solutions like misting hoses, Gatorade, freezies to try and take the sting out.”
Campbell says that collaboration with the city and other agencies helps them refer people to cooling services when Ark Aid is at capacity. But she says supportive housing and more mental health services are needed in the long run to prevent health crises the next time there is a heat wave.
“Those tipping points are symptoms of a greater need for whole support,” she said.
City Councillor David Ferreira, whose ward encompasses downtown London, says the city is working with agencies like Ark Aid under current service agreements to continue year-round drop-in space.
“We do have a contract with agencies that provide drop-in service, including air conditioning,” Ferreira said. “That’s not something that’s a reaction to this week, it’s an ongoing model of support.”
Ferreira also noted recent council discussion regarding weather thresholds for triggering emergency responses. Though the original motion had been narrowly framed around extreme cold, it opened the door for future consideration on how thresholds might be used for both heat and cold events.
As the heat of the summer continues to refuse to let up, both city and community organizations appear united in their short-term strategies. With calls from the likes of Campbell for longer-term investment in the hopes of protecting London’s vulnerable citizens.
In the meantime, she says, “We’re doing what we can, when we can, with everything we’ve got.”