SASKATOON — Communities in other areas of the city will get their chance to have their mini water park, as the Saskatoon Fire Department plans to hold similar events to beat the extreme summer heat.
On Thursday, July 18, the SFD turned the hill on John Lake Park into a mini water park after installing three Slip ‘N Slides with water provided by the nearby fire hydrant. Hundreds of kids, parents, and adults turned out to cool off and enjoy the event.
Kurt Delorme, SFD’s Community Relations, said they had been doing this community event for the past 10 years before it was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first time since everything shut down almost four years ago.
“Before COVID, we used to host this event a couple of times every summer. The SFD always hold this event if the weather is nice. It happened when this was already set up; it happens to be that today [Thursday], it was a very hot day,” Delorme told SASKTODAY.
“For the most part, we look at the weather forecast and make sure that the weather is excellent and the park is available. We are working with Saskatoon Parks to ensure this [John Lake Park] is available.”
They are planning where to hold the event in the coming weeks, weather permitting, so other communities can enjoy it and cool off without leaving the city. They plan to have one more before the summer ends.
Delorme said they expect a huge turnout whenever they organize the event, especially now that almost everyone is connected on social media. They announced the event on SFD’s Facebook page on Wednesday.
“We are not limiting the number of people, but we make sure everybody gets a chance to slide down. The number is not limited and there is no age limit. Everybody is welcome to have some fun, enjoy the weather and enjoy our park. The lines are not that long,” he said.
SFD firefighters from the central office, Station 3, Ladder 8, and several high school students from their Fire Cadet program joined in the fun by manning the hose lines, putting liquid soap on the slides, and using water guns to play with those waiting for their turn.
EMO activates response plan Level II
The SFD event at John Lake Park is welcome news after the Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization activated its Extreme Heat and Air Quality Emergency Response Plan on the same day in anticipation of higher-than-normal temperatures this weekend.
The response plan will run from July 18, Thursday, to July 23, Monday, to support Saskatoon residents, especially those vulnerable to extreme heat conditions. The plan is a coordinated effort that provides residents access to cooling locations, outreach services, wellness checks, and water distribution during extreme heat.
Extreme heat can cause severe adverse health impacts ranging from dehydration and heat exhaustion to heat stroke and potentially death. Extreme heat can be hazardous for individuals living in residences without air conditioning or a way to cool the home, older adults, and pre-existing health conditions.
On warm summer days, keeping your pets safe and comfortable is essential. Considerations include Ensuring your pet has plenty of fresh water to drink, monitoring your pet for signs of heat stress like rapid panting, never leaving pets in parked cars for any time, and offering your pet a means to cool down, like providing a wading pool or damp towel.
Visit saskatoon.ca/heat for more information about the Saskatoon Extreme Heat and Air Quality Emergency Response Plan and how to stay safe during extreme heat.
