Feeling the heat? These businesses are ready to help

As P.E.I. enters a heat wave, a new campaign is highlighting businesses that are willing to help Islanders who need an escape.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning starting Thursday, and it is expected to continue into Saturday.

Heatwave Heroes is identifying businesses that have a cool space available or a place to fill up your water bottle that people can take advantage of without expectation of making a purchase.

"I always believe that there are certain things in life that should be free," said campaign organizer Daniel Cousins.

"Water is one of them. Cooling off and avoiding heat is another crucial thing ... We should not have to pay for them."

Heatwave Heroes is an offshoot of a campaign Cousins started a couple of years ago called Fill Up Here P.E.I., for places that will allow you to fill your water bottle. Cousins has received a $2,500 microgrant for Heatwave Heroes from the City of Charlottetown.

Window stickers indicating locations for Heatwave Heroes have already started going up around the city. The stickers are also available for businesses with products that provide relief from the heat, such as ice cream. Cousins describes that aspect of the campaign as a way of supporting local.

Part of the microgrant has gone into the creation of the stickers, and this weekend it will launch a social media campaign promoting ways to stay cool and reminding people of the symptoms of heat exhaustion. Those are

• Headache.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Muscle cramps.
• Nausea.

If you are experiencing these symptoms you should get out of the heat right away and drink some water.

During a heat warning you should be careful about overexerting yourself outside, and drink plenty of water.

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