Saskatoon patrol group keeping people safe during extreme heat

SASKATOON -

With high temperatures again this week, one local street patrol group is expecting to be busy.

The Okihtcitawak Patrol in Pleasant Hill has been faced with some unique challenges so far this summer with the extreme temperatures.

The group works year round helping those who are out on the streets or out and about in the neighbourhood.

One of the staff, Delano Kennedy, said they have been dealing with an increase in needle pick ups over the past year but have shifted focus since the temperatures increased.

“We make sure people are hydrated, making sure they’re not going through heat exhaustion or if they’re experiencing heat stroke. This heat wave is really something,” Kennedy told CTV News.

Kennedy along with about 30 volunteers are now carrying extra water and freezies to help people deal with the heat.

“People sleeping out in the front street or in the alley or sleeping directly out in the sun so we have to wake them up … make sure they’re not going through a heat stroke.”

Storm Night grew up in Pleasant Hill and has been volunteering with the group for the past year and says the reaction they get from people in the community is rewarding.

The group helps between 20 and 50 people every day.

“We’ve caught people sleeping on the sidewalk, sleeping under trees and we want to make sure they don’t get heat stroke or dehydration so we make sure we will pay attention to that and check on them.

“We have a few people that we regularly check on and we know where they stay so we’ll go see them and make sure they’re all doing OK,” Storm Night said.

The patrol group also hands out hygiene products, granola bars and they carry naloxone kits in case of an overdose.

Kennedy says, they don’t receive formal funding so welcome any donations.