Health IQ: Jasper wildfire and mental health supports

Jasper wildfire and mental health

As residents of the Jasper National Park townsite grapple with the uncertainty of wildfire evacuation and the potential loss of their homes, psychologists are emphasizing the importance of mental health support.

About 25,000 people were evacuated before flames entered the community on July 14, as a wildfire ripped through the town of Jasper, leaving many homes and buildings in ashes.

Alex Bierman, a sociology professor at the University of Calgary, told Global News the uncertainty about the status of their homes is a significant challenge in these situations, primarily due to the loss of control.

“What people who are going to be uprooted from their homes will experience likely is a strong sense of powerlessness,” he said.

This can be accompanied by intrusive thoughts, a sense of reliving the event or emotional numbness, or even in the short term, feelings of anxiety, confusion or disruption of sleep, Dr. Katy Kamkar, a clinical psychologist in Toronto, said.

“Talking to family, friends, support groups, in terms of our experiences, our feelings, it’s very helpful and crucial for our emotional recovery and to know that we are not alone,” Kamkar stressed.

She added it can be helpful when coping with stress to lean into structure, a form of routine that may help provide a sense of normalcy, as can practising self-care through exercise, meditation, having access to healthy meals and staying hydrated.

Read more about protecting your mental health during catastrophic events, such as wildfires.

E-scooter warnings: ‘People’s faces are literally shattered’

Electric scooters have become a popular mode of transportation across Canadian cities, celebrated for their convenience and eco-friendliness.

However, their rising popularity has led to an increase in related injuries, with emergency physicians highlighting serious cases like shattered collarbones, rib fractures and brain injuries.

“As emergency physicians across the country, we’re seeing incredible injuries from e-scooters,” Toronto-based emergency physician Dr. Raghu Venugopal said.

Wearing helmets and wrist guards and avoiding speeding are essential for staying safe while riding, Venugopal said. Unfortunately, many people ignore these precautions.

“People’s faces are literally shattered … and when the bones in their face are shattered, it’s not going to be the same afterward. Users really need to pause and think about how fast they’re travelling in just pure concrete environments and how you know the human body against the concrete at a high speed, it’s just a disaster.”

Venugopal acknowledges the benefits of e-scooters as an alternative mode of transportation, however, he emphasized that riders can significantly reduce the risk of injury by adopting safer riding practices.

Read more about the safety tips recommended by emergency physicians for riding e-scooters.

— THE TOPIC —

West Nile is here to stay. How to stay safe

— WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING —

As summer heats up in Canada, the mosquito population is rising, increasing the risk of West Nile virus, a potentially deadly disease.

This season, Ottawa Public Health confirmed a West Nile virus case in a resident on July 19, marking the most recent case in Canada.

“West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that was introduced to Canada in the early 2000s. It flared up quite a bit for the first little bit as it was spreading through the region and has since kind of died back a little bit, but it’s still prevalent throughout most of Eastern Canada and into the Prairies,” Morgan Jackson, a Montreal-based entomologist, told Global News.

“And it’s a virus that primarily infects birds … like blue jays and ravens and crows. But when it does get into people and also some livestock, it can cause us to get sick as well.”

Since the virus arrived in Canada in 2002, it has spread in all provinces except Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, according to Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC). Since then, the number of cases each year has varied widely, ranging from more than 2,400 cases across the country to as few as five.

To avoid West Nile virus, prevent mosquito bites by eliminating standing water around your property, Jackson said. Check for empty water in containers weekly, drill holes in used containers and maintain your pool properly.

You should also try and wear long, loose-fitting clothing, use mosquito nets and choose light-coloured clothing, Jackson said. Apply insect repellents with DEET for extra protection.