Polar cold spells like the one we’re going through this weekend can cause significant challenges, especially for more vulnerable populations such as seniors and homeless people. The duty therefore offers you the recommendations of qualified institutions and organizations to overcome the situation while keeping your cool.
Consumption of electricity
As the temperature felt close to -40, Friday evening, around 6 p.m., Hydro-Québec recorded nearly 42,500 megawatts of electricity demand, which corresponds to a record peak, even higher than the 40,500 megawatts reached in January 2022 .
In order to avoid congesting the network, the state-owned company recommends that all of its customers reduce their heating by one to two degrees Celsius, as well as their use of hot water and major household appliances. Hydro-Québec asserts that the suggested measures will contribute to “reducing our imports of less clean electricity from neighboring networks”.
It also invites its customers to use its tools aimed at mitigating peak demand, including “dynamic pricing, Hilo challenges and discount programs for SMEs and large industrial companies”. Moreover, like its clientele, the Crown corporation will reduce heating and lighting in all its premises in Quebec.
Watch out for frozen pipes
CAA-Quebec indicates that we must act “quickly” as soon as we suspect that one of our pipes is frozen. “A pipe that breaks can cause significant water damage… and a lot of damage! “, indicates the organization on its website, which recalls that not all insurance policies cover this type of damage.
When a pipe freezes, you have to find it first. “Pipes located near exterior walls, for example, are more likely to freeze, especially when it comes to walls facing north,” says CAA-Quebec. Obviously, a formation of frost around a pipe suggests that it may be frozen in that particular place.
To thaw a pipe, CAA-Quebec recommends using a hair dryer or other similar safe tool that could gradually heat it. Then open the tap and move the dryer slowly over the frozen part.
To prevent such plumbing problems, CAA-Quebec recommends permanently improving the insulation of its pipes by installing foam sheaths around them, by surrounding the pipes that are more likely to freeze with insulating strips or by wrapping a heating cable around some pipes.
Avoid frostbite
The Government of Quebec recalls, in the section health from its website that current temperatures pose an “increased” risk of frostbite. “Skin exposed to cold can freeze in 10 to 30 minutes (or faster if winds are strong),” it says.
Frostbite mainly affects the extremities of the human body which are more often exposed to the cold, such as the fingertips. In most cases, these are “superficial” frostbites, where the skin reddens, tingles, becomes relatively numb or forms small swellings. “Deep” frostbite occurs when the skin becomes much colder and turns white or waxy.
When suffering from frostbite, Info-Santé recommends removing damp or wet clothing once warm, and applying lukewarm water to the affected area. If a frostbite is deep, a consultation with a doctor may become necessary.
For people experiencing homelessness
Montrealers might be tempted to direct homeless people to the Montreal metro or other indoor public places. However, the City indicates that “subway stations are not suitable places to accommodate homeless people, in particular due to the lack of sanitary spaces, access to water and social workers . »
Catherine Cadotte, the press attaché for the mayor of Montreal, maintains “that everything indicates that there is still room in the appropriate resources” and that there is therefore “no reason for people in of homelessness to stay out”. Remember that the City of Montreal opened two temporary heat stops this week at the downtown YMCA, in Ville-Marie, and at the Center du Plateau, in Plateau-Mont-Royal.
The Mobile Mediation and Social Intervention Team (ÉMMIS) of Montreal and the teams of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) should however “direct people to a warm place” if the shelters were overflowing, adds Ms. Cadotte. Teams “also provide support to the homeless in the Montreal metro to direct them to existing and adapted resources”.
For our animal friends
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Montreal reminds us that even our most outdoor-prone pets, especially cats, should stay indoors, warm and cool as much as possible. dry, in very cold weather.
However, some animals, such as dogs, always need to go outside, if only to relieve themselves. “After the walk, rinse or wipe his paws before he licks them. If your pet has long hair, you can have the excess hair around its claws and pads trimmed, to make it easier to remove snow and clean it better,” says the SPCA.
It is also recommended to put boots on your dog, as well as make him wear a sweater or a coat if he has short hair. All the same, since it is important to take animals outside less in such temperatures, the SPCA points out that “15 minutes of mental training is equivalent to about 1 hour of walking” and advises its subscribers, on Facebook, different types of games or “obedience sessions” with their canine friend.