Home/
Extreme Heat Assessment and Response Planning/
Survey: Okanagan-Similkameen Extreme Heat Response Planning

Survey: Okanagan-Similkameen Extreme Heat Response Planning

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this important survey. The estimated time of completion is 10-15 minutes.

This survey is a crucial step toward building safer, more resilient communities that can withstand the impacts of extreme heat. By sharing your experiences and suggestions, you are contributing to a collective effort to protect the well-being of all residents, now and in the future.

Let's work together to make our community a cooler, safer place for everyone.

Thank you for your participation.

Protecting your personal information is an obligation the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen takes seriously. Our practices have been designed to ensure compliance with the privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (British Columbia) ("FIPPA"). Any personal or proprietary information you provide to us through this website or other RDOS-managed public engagement websites (https://rdosregionalconnections.ca), the purpose of which is to provide feedback or other pertinent information to the RDOS, is collected, used and disclosed in accordance with FIPPA.

Questions about the collection, use or disclosure of this personal information can be directed to:

Senior Manager of Legislative Services
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
101 Martin Street
Penticton, BC
Phone: 250-492-0237

Please select from the following all that apply to you. I am ________ .

A resident in the RDOS

A business owner in the RDOS

A property owner in the RDOS

a syilx Okanagan community

A visitor

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)

2. If you represent an organization, please specify below.

Maximum 255 characters

0/255

Please select the location of your residence and/or business.

City of Penticton

District of Summerland

Town of Oliver

Town of Osoyoos

Town of Princeton

Village of Keremeos

Electoral Area "A" - Rural Osoyoos

Electoral Area "B" - Cawston

Electoral Area "C" - Rural Oliver

Electoral Area "D" - Okanagan Falls

Electoral Area "E" - Naramata

Electoral Area "F" - Greater West Bench, Rural Summerland, Okanagan Lake West

Electoral Area "G" - Rural Keremeos, Hedley

Electoral Area "H" - Rural Princeton

Electoral Area "I" - Apex, Kaleden, Twin Lakes

Not Sure/prefer not to answer

Upper Similkameen Indian Band

Lower Similkameen Indian Band

Penticton Indian Band

Osoyoos Indian Band

Other (please specify)

How were you and your household negatively impacted during the 2021 Heat Dome? During the 2021 Heat Dome event, many people experienced challenges that affected their health, daily activities, and comfort. Please describe your experiences or observations related to physical or mental health, critical community services, such as healthcare or municipal services, the natural environment and/or built systems and infrastructure. Check all that apply.

Home became uncomfortably hot/unable to stay home

I worried about the health and safety of myself and/or my family

I was unable to participate in regular activities

The heat negatively affected my business

The heat negatively impacted my garden and/or crops

Increased financial strain (e.g. higher utility bills for cooling, unable to work)

Keeping cool became a major focus leaving not much time for anything else

Reduced quality of life due to limited outdoor activities and social interactions

Challenges in accessing healthcare services or medications due to heat-related disruptions

Concerns about the long-term resilience of our community to withstand future heatwaves

I was not negatively impacted

Myself or a family member developed short/long term heat related health issues

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)

Did your home provide you with adequate protection from the heat?

Yes

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)

What factors in your life have negatively influenced your experience during extreme heat waves? Consider any personal, environmental, or socioeconomic factors that might have affected how you and your household coped with extreme heat. For example, living alone might have made it difficult to seek help or resources, or not having reliable access to transportation could have limited your ability to find cooler places. (Select all that apply)

Living alone

Renting your home

Having a mental health condition or disability (e.g. dementia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia)

Having a physical health condition or disability (e.g. mobility impairments, hearing impairments, visual impairments, chronic illness, neurological disorders, amputations)

Being a newcomer to the country/region

Not having reliable access to a personal car

Having a low income (less than $60,000 annually for couple-with-children families, less than $30,000 annually for one-parent-families, less than $16,000 annually for single individuals)

House orientation/location (e.g. in full sun, a house in a shaded area like a valley bottom, treed, or in the shade of a hillside/mountain)

Requiring language support (e.g. English is not you or your family members' native language)

Proximity to parks and outdoor places like lakes, ponds, rivers/streams, that provide cooling abilities

Having household members who are pregnant or have infants (under the age of 1)

Having household members over the age of 65

Having household members who spend more time outside (e.g. emergency response workers, outdoor workers, athletes)

Having household members who take medication that might make them more susceptible to heat

Being concerned about health impacts to your pet(s)

Being concerned about impacts to crops or livestock

Not sure/prefer not to answer

None

Other (please specify)

What measures have you or your household taken and/or what services have you used to protect yourself from extreme heat waves? (e.g. 2021 heat dome). In response to extreme heat, people often take various measures to stay cool and safe. If you've used any services or found strategies that helped, please share them here, including the names of any organizations or services that were particularly useful. (Select all that apply)

* required*

Installed building air conditioner or heat pump

Installed portable air conditioner

Installed portable fans

Utilized curtains or other shading options

Opened windows for airflow

Explored alternative cooling methods (e.g., evaporative coolers, passive cooling)

Spent more time outside in cooler areas such as parks

Spent more time inside in cooler parts of the home

Spent time at a cooling centre

Utilized a central cool room in my house or building

Sought regional information on how to stay cool

Utilized existing community or regional services

Applied or asked for financial assistance

None

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)

If you selected “Utilized existing community or regional services" in the question above, please specify which services.

Maximum 50 characters

0/50

To what degree do you feel you have faced barriers to accessing extreme heat resilience measures including at home protection and emergency response services?

Significant barriers (describe below)

Some barriers (describe below)

No barriers (describe below)

Not sure/prefer not to answer

10.

If willing, please describe any specific barriers you've noticed or experienced, and if possible, suggest how they could be addressed.

11.

Are there specific groups of people, community infrastructure, or natural assets in your community that you believe are particularly vulnerable?

12.

What additional services, information or support would you use to protect yourself or your household from extreme heat? Think about the types of assistance that would make the biggest difference in helping you stay cool and healthy during a heat wave. This could be anything from more public cooling centres, educational resources on how to cool your home efficiently, or community programs that check on at-risk individuals during hot weather. Please share any ideas or needs that you think would help you and your community during extreme heat events. (Select all that apply)

Cooling centre nearby

Safe transportation during heat waves

Portable cooling equipment for your home

Going to a central cool room in your building

Outdoor cooling spaces that provide shade or water

None

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)

13.

What are some of your greatest concerns as heat waves become more frequent?

E.g. are there aspects of your life/property that are most vulnerable, are you concerned about linkages between heat waves, drought, wildfire and flooding, Etc.?

14.

If you have used a community cooling centre in past heat events, please specify the name of the location.

15.

Do you self-identify as Indigenous?

Yes

Prefer not to answer

16.

If willing, please specify which Nation.

Maximum 255 characters

0/255

17.

How would you prefer to receive information about extreme heat preparedness and response initiatives?

RDOS or municipal websites

Dedicated emergency alert mobile app (e.g. Alertable, Voyent Alert!)

Social media

Traditional media outlets (e.g. cable news, newspapers)

I'm not interested in receiving information

Not sure/prefer not to answer

Other (please specify)