A Tool for Early Detection of Temperature Effects on the Health of BC Residents

Hot weather has had significant impacts on mortality in British Columbia. Following an unprecedented 7-day episode of hot weather in 2009, with 120 deaths over the numbers expected in Metro Vancouver, the BC Centre for Disease Control began to track daily mortality as a function of temperature. The tracking system provides a means of understanding the effects of extreme weather on population mortality as well as a way to inform our assessment of who is at risk, where, and when. This initiative has led to the targeting of rapid response to high temperatures throughout Metro Vancouver.