How well did the City of Richmond respond to the heat this summer?
This is the feedback the city is soliciting from Richmond residents.
There were three heat warnings and an air-quality advisory – after wildfire smoke poured into Richmond last weekend – and the city responded by opening cooling and clean-air centres and increased its messaging on social media and on its website.
The city is asking residents to give feedback at its online LetsTalkRichmond forum.
In summer 2021, eight people died in Richmond during the heat dome event at the end of June and early July .
Across the province, 619 people died during this extreme hot weather, according to the BC Coroners Service. During the heat dome, temperature hit 49 degrees Celsius in Lytton, in the Fraser Canyon, and a large swath of the town burned to the ground.
In response to the heat dome, the Richmond fire department created a plan for future hot-weather events, listing 12 possible cooling centres from Hamilton to Steveston. Included in the plan is the Minoru Centre for Active Living, which wasn’t open during the heat dome.
From now until Sunday, Oct. 2, Richmond residents can complete a survey and share their thoughts on the city’s response at LetsTalkRichmond.ca.
This information will contribute to the city’s after-action review and direct efforts for emergency planning, response and recovery.
