Tuesday July 12, 2005
The heat wave is set to continue, so I've decided it is time for a window a/c unit. I have rented housing in Ontario for almost two decades, half of these years in Ottawa. This is only the second time the heat has forced me to invest in conditioning. The last time was in Ottawa too; 1995 I believe.
At 6 am this morning it was 30° C in my kitchen. Opening the door wide cooled it off a few degrees temporarily. By 11 I expect the process to have to be reversed.
Pecuniary considerations have been satisfied by locating a place that rents window units on a per season basis. They even deliver, install and remove it. Very attractive to one who is very likely unable to do so.
I have lived in much warmer climes and have learned that heat is a killer - mainly for those without air conditioning available. The upside is that most housing in those places did have a/c. In the hottest place, Georgia, they were sane enough that large businesses had summer hours - opening an hour or two earlier than the rest of the time so people could shop (especially grocery stores) before the heat built up too badly.
Even in the other warm states it was common practice to go everywhere with a bottle of water in hand most of the year. A/C doesn't eliminate the need to stay hydrated and waiting until you feel thirsty is too late in the game.
I found this interesting factoid on the Center for Disease Control web site:
From 1979 –2002, excessive heat exposure caused 8,966 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. Because most heat-related deaths occur during the summer, and because weather projections for this year indicate a hotter-than-average summer, people should be aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a heat-related illness or death.
Having indoor comfort can lead to dangerous attitudes in some people. It is helpful to understand the effects of heat on one's body and to watch for danger signs in oneself and others. Even professional athletes have been known to ignore these signs to their detriment. Weekend warriors should dial it down considerably during heat waves.
As a public service to my Canadian readers here are Hot Weather Tips including symptoms and emergency treatment for heat exhaustion (first stage) and heat stroke (extremely dangerous and potentially final stage) from our southern neighbours. FYI - I did search a couple of times only in Canadian sites and once specifically including "Health Canada" in the search terms and came up with nothing as useful as this.
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