Heat Waves, Wet Bulb Temps and Wildfires

Extreme weather events put disabled lives at risk. We are generally more susceptible to temperature fluctuations, power outages, supply chain issues and more. How can we protect one another?

I’ve often said that disabled people are the canaries in the coal mine. Any negative event or stressor that could impact the general population will hit us harder and faster.

As a result, our lives tend to be put at risk from situations that a non disabled person might find a mere inconvenience.

When you’re chronically ill, you lack physical resilience. Being sick day in and day out takes a tremendous toll on the body and makes it much harder to endure any setback or upset to your regular routine.

We also tend to be forced to live in legislated poverty, which drastically reduces options for emergency preparedness planning, prepping or contingencies.

In short, those with the least are the ones who tend to suffer the most.

Poverty and disability make terrible bedfellows, and yet all too often they go together. The combination can be deadly.

Despite these obvious facts, society tends not to factor us in to emergency planning. They tend to forget about us when disasters occur. They leave us behind.

Two weeks ago, much of the United States and Canada was blanketed by a ‘heat dome’ causing temps to hit ‘wet bulb limits’.

There’s been a lot of media coverage of the dangers of wet bulb temps and how to protect yourself, but just like the wildfire coverage that we saw a month before, there’s been almost no attention given to how to protect disabled lives.

Because we’re expendable. We’ve been forgotten. Left by the wayside and considered acceptable losses.

This article will attempt to shine some light on the unique struggles these events pose to disabled people, as well as how we can help keep each other safe.

Photo of a map of the eastern part of the United States illustrating the heat dome. Photo courtesy of CNN

The Heat Dome

There’s been a lot of talk about the heat dome that blanketed much of the US and Canada. It brought with it ‘wet bulb temperatures’, which refer to a temperature at which the human body can no longer cool itself:

At theoretical wet-bulb temperatures, evaporation and cooling can no longer take place because the atmosphere is fully saturated with water. And when the wet-bulb temperature reaches 35 C, it crosses a threshold at which humans can no longer lose internal body heat and cool themselves ¹

These temperatures are dangerous to everyone, but those with disabilities, the elderly and young children face a higher risk of adverse events.

Many of us living with chronic illness struggle to regulate our internal temperature. Whether that be because of conditions like Dysautonomia (which I have), frequent infections, paralysis or lack of climate control, most of us find it very hard to keep our bodies regulated, safe and comfortable.

My baseline takes a hit whenever I become too hot or too cold, and because POTS causes my body to be unable to sweat properly, extreme heat can turn deadly in a hurry.

Living in poverty means many disabled people don’t have access to comfort measures like air conditioning or fans. They may be living in apartments on high floors which are known to get extraordinarily hot. They may be in shelters or shared accommodations where they have no control over the temperature.

In short, we often lose agency when we’re disabled and poor, and with the loss of agency comes a lack of safety.

We desperately need our community to show up for us. We need radical community care to survive extreme weather events.

Things We Can Do To Keep Ourselves Safe:

• Stay hydrated! This is number one. Many of us don’t consume enough water and electrolytes, and in extreme heat this becomes even more important. Slow sips of water throughout the day can work better than gulping. Consider trying electrolytes or an oral rehydration solution. You want to be replacing important minerals like sodium and potassium. I use Nuun but there’s many good options available!

• Plan in advance whenever possible, especially if you don’t have AC. Make sure to stock up on water and ice. Fill empty water bottles that you can freeze to place in front of a fan. Freeze towels that you can put on your neck to cool down. I have a few 4L jugs of water that I keep frozen at all times. If it gets too hot I put two of them in front of a fan and it helps a lot.

• Consider cooling vests or cooling mats. They even make them for pets and I find that a mat for a large sized dog is perfect for putting on a couch or bed to cool me down!

• Get as many fans as you can afford. Ceiling fans are great if you live somewhere that will allow you to install them.

• Get room darkening blinds/curtains and keep them closed when it’s extra hot.

• Try a dehumidifer. Depending on where you live the humidity may be a bigger problem than the heat (it often is for me). The ideal humidity for a home is between 40-60%.

• When purchasing a dehumidifer make sure you pay attention to the size of the water reservoir. I can’t lift or empty mine on my own, so I bought one with a hose attachment so it can auto drain into the sink.

• Make sure you have a safety buddy, especially if you live alone. Have someone who will check on you and make sure you’re doing ok. The last thing you want is to pass out in the heat and have no one know it’s happened.

• If you can tolerate it, try cold showers, cool baths and/or placing your feet in cold water. You can also try a cold towel around your feet or in your armpits/groin or back of the neck.

• Try and make sure your freezer is well stocked. Having the extra frozen water bottles gives me options for cooling, but also protects my food in the event of a power outage. A well stocked freezer will stay cold longer than a half empty one. If you have a ton of ice you can also place some in the fridge during an outage to try and avoid food spoilage.

• If you can get an AC unit, do it. Don’t feel guilty. Try not to wait until a heat wave as they will be expensive or possibly sold out. Many of us are dealing with disabilities that make heat extra dangerous. We’re on medications that lower our tolerance for the heat. Consider AC an important accommodation, not a luxury.

• On the topic of AC units, be wary of evaporative coolers. They can be deceptively marketed as portable AC but aren’t. They’re essentially similar to putting ice packs in front of a fan, and they add humidity to a room. They will only cool effectively in dry climates and they’re a known source of mold.

• If you have a choice between a window AC or portable one, window units tend to be quieter and much more effective. Some buildings have banned them so be sure to check with your property management or landlord.

• If getting a portable unit, look for dual hose options as they are more effective (but can be more expensive).

• Talk to your pharmacist about medication risks. Lots of medications increase your odds of having heat stroke, so it’s important to know if you need to adjust dosages or take any special precautions.

• Conserve your energy. Heat waves are a time to rest. If at all possible, rest as much as you can. Lay in a cool dark room. Eat smaller, lighter meals more frequently. Don’t over exert and don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

Things Our Community Can Do For Us:

Surviving heat domes and other extreme weather events is very much a community effort. Many disabled people live alone and have limited support. They need extra help when emergencies happen.

The good news is there’s a lot of things you can do to help protect the most vulnerable.

• First things first, check on the disabled person in your life. Check in early and often. Ask how you can help. Knowing someone is concerned for us and offering assistance can make a world of difference.

• Donate to crowd funding and mutual aid requests for AC. Many of us are on an extremely fixed income and can’t afford to just go buy an AC unit when it gets hot. Help by boosting and/or donating if able.

• You can also donate AC units directly to people in need if you have the funds or an old unit that you’re no longer using.

• Offer rides to cooling centres. I can’t stress this enough. Cooling centres are a great option but inaccessible to many of us. I don’t drive or have access to a car. The effort it would take to get to a cooling centre would negate any positive benefits from being there.

• Drop off groceries or home cooked meals. Cooking in extreme heat can be dangerous and having access to ready made meals can help ensure we stay fed.

• Lobby local governments to provide for those in need. This can mean opening more cooling centres, providing outreach to those who are unhoused, providing access to water and food etc. We will only see more extreme heat events as climate change worsens, try and make sure your city has a plan to deal with them.

• Lobby governments to set maximum internal temperature bylaws. Many cities have a bylaw for heat which ensures that landlords must maintain a comfortable temperature in winter. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have a similar bylaw for AC. When you’re renting you’re often at the mercy of your landlord with respect to air conditioning. If it breaks they might not repair it, and some will lock the thermostat. A bylaw would help ensure landlords can’t take advantage of their tenants.

• Help grassroots organizations who are fighting climate change. Many parts of the world that never needed AC in the past are finding they require it now. Temperatures are rising, and it puts our lives in jeopardy. We have to address climate change before it’s too late.

Wildfires and Air Quality Issues

Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

Image Description: Photo of a red sun over a smoggy city.

With extreme heat we often see a reduction in air quality. The last few years have been particularly bad as wildfires start earlier in the season and rage much longer than ever before.

As with heat, poor air quality tends to impact disabled people more severely than others.

This is especially true if you have any heart and lung issues, asthma, allergies or anything that impacts your breathing.

Even if you can’t feel or smell how bad the air is, it can still do a tremendous amount of damage. The fine particulates caused by wildfire smoke nestle in your throat, nose and lungs and wreak havoc.

The smoke also mixes with pollutants in the environment to create harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These are carcinogens that can cause all kinds of health issues. For people with MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), VOCs are often more harmful than particulate matter. That’s certainly been my experience. They’re also harder to mitigate.

That said, there are many ways you can improve your indoor air quality and protect yourself when you have to go outside.

First things first, if you must be outside when the air quality is bad, get yourself a well fitted respirator like an N95. They’re not just for Covid! A respirator is designed to filter out pollution and smoke, and is an excellent health tool during wildfire season.

If you’ve got questions about how to choose a respirator, where to find them and how to fit test them, my article below has you covered:

We’re Witnessing the Fall of Public Health… and Your Best Tool is a Mask

So a respirator is your best tool when you have to be outside, but what can you do about your indoor air?

The good news is that since the beginning of the Covid pandemic there’s been an increase in people invested in clean indoor air. It’s become a movement, so there’s a lot of fantastic information and resources to help you maximize the health of your home.

My Top Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality

• Corsi Rosenthal boxes (or DIY air purifiers) should be your new best friend. There’s tons of air purifiers you can buy commercially, but the DIY models are cheaper and clear the air at a much faster rate. You can have fun with them and make them suit your space. Check out this awesome site for creative ideas for young kids and classrooms.

• For step by step instructions to make your own filter, check out Clean Air Crew’s website here.

• If possible, try and assess your indoor air with a PM and/or VOC monitor. What’s that? PMs stand for Particulate Matter. They’re the mix of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. It could be from smoke, pollution, pollen, viruses and more. If you know how bad your PMs are, it can help you assess how much filtration you need. VOCs stand for Volatile Organic Compounds. They’re carcinogenic chemicals that can also be in the air.

• If you’re going to buy air filters, pay attention to the Clean Air Delivery Rate. Some very expensive filters have shockingly poor performance. You want one that will maximize the number of air changes you get per hour.

• Assess the size of your home (or the room you need to clean) and get one that will give you between 6-12 air changes per hour. The more the better in my experience!

• If you have your own furnace or HVAC system, consider upgrading your filter to a higher MERV rating. This will also assist with cleaning the air. Make sure to check and ensure the system can handle the additional resistance that comes with a heavier filter.

• Try newer technology! Clean air has come a long way since the start of the Covid pandemic, and lots of neat options are coming out all the time. I recently had the chance to try out a Laminar filter, which delivers a steady stream of filtered air right to your face. It’s great for use in hospitals to avoid Covid, but when the wildfires were raging I also found it helped supplement my regular filters at home. There’s an open source build guide online for anyone who wants to try and DIY. For a commercially available option, try the AirFanta.

• When the outdoor air is good, open up your windows and turn on exhaust fans. Ventilation is key to healthy indoor air.

• VOCs won’t be mitigated with standard air purifiers or HEPA filters. They need large amounts of carbon. It’s best to try and eliminate VOCs at the source and avoid using harsh chemicals or any products that generate them. If that’s not an option, air purifiers with large amounts of carbon and/or bags of activated charcoal can help.

• Don’t forget you can wear a respirator indoors! On really bad air quality days, this is what I do. A well fitted N95 will keep most airborne particles out of your lungs! If VOCs are a concern, you can get a P100 mask with gas filters.

• If you have a green thumb, plants can also help improve indoor air quality.

• Watch humidity levels. I mentioned the importance of a dehumidifer for coping with extreme heat and humidity, but it’s also important for deterring mold growth. Mold is a major contributor to poor indoor air.

• Seal your windows and doors with weather stripping to prevent leakage.

No Matter What, Don’t Leave Disabled People Behind

I’m seeing a concerning trend towards people saying that folks should ‘just move’ and/or giving extensive prepping advice that is completely inaccessible to most disabled individuals.

While a lot of this advice is helpful, it leaves us behind. It fails to consider the unique struggles of the disability community as well as the role poverty plays in contingency planning.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with prepping, in fact it’s something most people should probably do if they’re able.

The problem with suggesting this advice to the disability community is that most of us are living in extreme poverty without the financial means, space or physical ability to prep.

Many of us are on special diets that eliminate things like canned and dried goods. We don’t have excess fridge and freezer space. We’re relying on delivery services to bring our groceries so ‘stocking up’ would be financially punitive.

We also can’t ‘just move’. Not only does moving require money and health that many of us don’t have, we’re also highly reliant on our medical teams. When you move you have to start over, and for many of us the time it would take to find new doctors and establish new relationships would be insurmountable.

What we need more than anything is robust community care. We need to build networks of people who will watch out for and protect one another. Rugged individualism isn’t going to work for anyone, but it especially won’t work for the disabled.

We need to start thinking as a collective. How can we set up community gardens, fridges and libraries? How can we create housing that is sustainable and affordable where neighbours will check on one another? How can we ensure the most vulnerable among us can continue to access medications and healthcare as things fall apart?

There aren’t any easy answers, but I hope we can start having the conversation. I hope we can start to build a future where disabled people will be prioritized and protected during extreme weather events, collapse and anything else the world throws at us.

If you plan to care for the vulnerable, everyone else will be better off as well. We will all survive and thrive together.

What are you doing to prepare for extreme heat and wildfires?

Are you able to prep and/or contingency plan? Have you had adverse health effects related to climate change?

What do you most wish people understood about the threats facing our community?

1. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/how-hot-is-too-hot-for-humans-understanding-wet-bulb-temperatures-1.6088415