Ottawa Residents-Petrie Island

Ottawa’s Beaches Now Smoke-FreeOn Saturday June 16th, Ottawa’s...

Ottawa’s Beaches Now Smoke-FreeOn Saturday June 16th, Ottawa’s four supervised beaches – Britannia, Westboro, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island – officially opened for the summer season.  Ottawa’s new smoke-free regulations now prohibits smoking on the beaches in addition to parks, playgrounds, sports fields, ByWard and Parkdale Market stands and outdoor restaurant and bar patios and terraces.   The beach at Petrie Island in Orleans was the place to be on Saturday where thousands of Ottawa residents participated in the 3rd annual Carivibe Beach Festival.  This annual event is a celebration of Caribbean culture where festival participants enjoyed non-stop entertainment, classic Caribbean cuisine and beverages as well as cultural clothing and accessories-all within a smoke-free environment.Listen to what these festival participants had to say about Ottawa’s smoke-free beaches. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKdr2ELSMpE To learn more about Ottawa’s new smoke-free regulations, or if you need help quitting smoking, please visit ottawa.ca/smokefree or call Ottawa Public Health Information 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656). You can also connect with OPH on Facebook and Twitter (@ottawahealth) read more..

source:ottawa.ca

Medical Officer Of Health-Environment Canada-Ottawa Residents-Consecutive Days-Heat Exhaustion

Heat Warning in effect for June 19-21

The Medical Officer of Health is issuing a Heat Warning for June 19-21. A heat warning is declared when Environment Canada forecasts a humidex of 40 or hotter for at least two consecutive days. It is important to know that extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and even death.  Infants, young children and the homeless are also at greater risk from extreme heat, along with people taking medications like anti-Parkinsons and antidepressants. OPH is encouraging people to check on family, friends and neighbours who may be isolated or vulnerable to the heat and need help accessing places to cool down.To avoid heat-related illnesses, Ottawa residents and visitors should:

• Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water and avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Avoid strenuous physical activity outdoors
• Avoid direct exposure to the sun and seek shade and shelter at the first signs of heat exposure
• Wear lightweight and loose clothing
• Spend at least two hours a day in an air-conditioned location, including shopping malls, local libraries or neighbourhood community centres
• Never leave children, the elderly or pets unattended in a car, even with the windows partly rolled down

Residents can cool down at City of Ottawa pools, splash pads, wading pools, beaches and community centres, as well as Ottawa Public Libraries. In addition, Rainbow Cinemas in the St. Laurent Centre has partnered with the City of Ottawa to provide reduced ticket rates to help people access air conditioning and to cool down during heat warnings.  High air pollution often occurs during hot weather conditions. People with breathing and heart problems and parents and caregivers of children should pay attention to the hourly Air Quality Health Index available at airhealth.ca or at 1-866-688-3810.As part of the City of Ottawa Heat Action Plan, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) closely monitors the weather forecast for heat, smog and UV index levels and notifies residents, service providers and media when thresholds are met.  We offer protective and proactive advice on how to deal with these summer conditions. The heat, smog and UV thresholds are:

• Heat Advisory  (humidex of 36 or more for a least two consecutive days)
• Heat Warning (humidex of 40 or more for at least two consecutive days)
• Heat Emergency (humidex of 45 or more for at least two consecutive days or situational factors)
• Smog Advisory (based on air quality index (AQI) of > 50)
• UV Index Warning ( UV index of 10 or higher)

For additional information on ways to “beat the heat”, visit ottawa.ca/health or call Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter @ottawahealth. read more..

source:ottawa.ca

Public Opinion Research-Community Engagement-Public Consultation-Advocacy Strategy

LET’S CLEAR THE AIR: A RENEWED STRATEGY FOR A SMOKE-FREE OTTAWA

This report outlines a proposal for a Renewed Strategy for a Smoke-Free Ottawa, designed to protect children and non-smokers from second-hand smoke (SHS) and to reduce tobacco use.   The proposed strategy includes a significant increase in programming for people who want to quit; new smoke-free regulations to protect people from SHS and a public awareness, community engagement and advocacy strategy designed to make Ottawa a healthier city for all. OPH is recommending to the Ottawa Board of Health (BOH), the Community and Protective Services Committee (CPSC) and City Council that existing smoke-free regulations be amended, beginning this year, to prohibit smoking on: ·         All municipal properties, including parks, playgrounds, beaches, sports fields, fruit and vegetable markets and outdoor areas around City facilities; and ·         Outdoor restaurant and bar patios and terraces.  These initiatives have been developed after extensive public consultation and research and do not require additional funding to enforce or to deliver enhanced services. OPH’s consultations and public opinion research indicate that Ottawa residents strongly support creating more smoke-free spaces. If the recommendations in this report are adopted by Council, Ottawa will join a growing number of municipalities that have made such places smoke-free.  SHS is a known health hazard and studies have found that it can be as toxic outdoors as indoors (1-12). Sadly, every year 1,000 smokers and non-smokers in Ottawa die prematurely of tobacco related illness (13). Smoking and SHS has a financial cost as well, including $2 billion in direct health care costs to the Ontario economy (14). For Ottawa residents, hospitalization costs alone due to smoking-related illnesses are almost $40 million per year (13). The purpose of the proposed regulatory amendments is to reduce public exposure to SHS and the resulting risk of tobacco related chronic illness. The proposed amendments are part of an overall OPH strategy to protect children and non-smokers from SHS exposure, reduce smoking rates, increase tobacco cessation attempts, reduce tobacco use initiation, and improve health outcomes such as reducing heart attacks, respiratory illness and cancer.  The regulations would complement community engagement activities that will advance smoke-free policies in settings such as hospitals and post-secondary campuses, doorways, hotels, motels and bed and breakfast establishments, spectator events, multiple unit dwellings, and outdoor worksites such as construction sites. A phased-in approach for enforcement of the regulatory amendments is recommended. Beginning with awareness raising and warnings, fines would not be levied until three months after the amendments take effect. It is anticipated that there would be a high degree of voluntary compliance and, as a result enforcement is recommended to be predominantly complaint-driven and would not require additional by-law staff or other resources. Enforcement would be accompanied by a parallel strategy that includes a public awareness campaign to inform the public of the regulatory changes and to increase awareness of the health risks of tobacco smoke and the dangers of water-pipe use.Full Report here read more..

source:ottawa.ca