Prepare for an emergency During extreme heat

Calgary summers are getting increasingly hotter and drier. Extreme heat can put your health at risk, causing illnesses like heat stroke and even death.

Our Disaster Risk Explorer has information about the risk of disasters in Calgary and what the City is doing to prepare for it.

Learn about the risk of disasters in Calgary

Cooling locations

Cooling locations are publicly available indoor locations open their normal business hours where individuals can visit for a temporary respite from the heat. All listed locations have either an indoor water fountain or an indoor water bottle filling station.

Check out places to cool down near you:

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N.E. locations

Location	Address
Country Hills Library	11950 Country Village Link N.E.
Dashmesh Culture Centre (1 p.m. to 10 p.m.)	135 Gurdwara Sahib Blvd N.E.
Renfrew Aquatic & Rec. Centre	810 13 Ave. N.E.
Saddletown Library	7556 Falconridge Blvd N.E.
Saddletown YMCA	180 – 7556 Falconridge Blvd N.E.
Village Square Library	2623 56 St. N.E.

N.W. locations

Location	Address
Bowness Library	6532 Bowness Rd. N.W.
CF Market Mall	3625 Shaganappi Tr. N.W.
Crowfoot Library	8665 Nose Hill Dr. N.W.
Judith Umbach Library	6617 Centre St. N.W
Louise Riley Library	1904 14 Ave. N.W.
Nose Hill Library	1530 Northmount Dr. N.W.
Rocky Ridge Library	11300 Rocky Ridge Rd. N.W.
Sage Hill Library	19 Sage Hill Passage N.W.
Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge	11300 Rocky Ridge Rd. N.W.
Thornhill Aquatic & Rec. Centre	6715 Centre St. N.W

S.E. locations

Location	Address
Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton	4995 Market St. S.E.
Calgary Soccer Center	7000 48 St. S.E.
Cardel Rec. South	100 - 333 Shawville Blvd S.E.
Central Library	800 3 St. S.E.
CF Chinook Mall	6455 Macleod Trail S.E.
Fish Creek Library	11161 Bonaventure Dr. S.E.
Forest Lawn Library	4807 8 Ave. S.E.
Quarry Park Library	108 Quarry Park Rd. S.E.
Remington YMCA at Quarry Park	108 Quarry Park Rd. S.E.
Seton Library	4995 Market St. S.E.
Shawnessy Library	333 Shawville Blvd S.E.
Shawnessy YMCA	400 – 333 Shawville Blvd S.E.

S.W. locations

Location	Address
Giuffre Family Library	3223 14 St. S.W.
Killarney Aquatic & Rec. Centre	1919 29 St. S.W.
Memorial Park Library	1221 2 St. S.W.
Nicholls Family Library	1421 33 St. S.W.
Rose Kohn & Jimmy Condon Arenas	502 Heritage Dr. S.W.
Signal Hill Library	5994 Signal Hill Ct. S.W.
Southland Leisure Centre	2000 Southland Dr. S.W.
Southwood Library	924 Southland Dr. S.W.

How to prepare for extreme heat

Drink plenty of water before you feel thirsty to decrease your risk of dehydration.
Have cool drinks in your vehicle and keep your gas tank topped up.
Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle especially in direct sunlight.
- Ensure pets have plenty of water.
Keep your home cool by closing curtains and blinds during the day.
- If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is working properly.
- If you have fans, they can help in low humidity.
- Open windows overnight (if safe) to cool your home and close them during the day.
- Avoid using your oven if possible, as it will heat up your home.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or others experience abnormal symptoms and watch for signs of serious medical conditions. Move immediately to a cool place and drink water if you experience any of these symptoms during hot weather:

dizziness
fainting
nausea or vomiting
headache
rapid heartbeat or breathing
dehydration

See more resources here

Check here for alerts

Staying safe during extreme heat

Avoid working or exercising intensely in the heat or humidity. If it cannot be avoided, be sure to take regular breaks, drink lots of water, maintain salt levels in your body and avoid high-protein foods.
Wear sunscreen.
Dress for the weather by wearing loose fitting clothes, a brimmed hat and UVA and UVB protected sunglasses.
If your home is too hot and uncomfortable, take cool showers or baths or go to an air conditioned public space, like a shopping mall.
Tune in regularly to local weather forecasts so you know when to take extra care
Check up on your family or friends who are alone and do not have air conditioning.
Hydrate and protect yourself and your family from heat‐related illness.
Visit a cooling location.

Health Canada has additional information about extreme heat as well as sunburns and heat illnesses.

After extreme heat

Refurbish and outfit your home for the next extreme heat season. A few potential upgrades include:

Adding drapes or shades to windows
Replacing or upgrading weather stripping around doors and windows
Adding insulation to keep the heat out
Installing an attic fan to clear hot air
Installing air conditioners

What to do during extreme heat