Calgary has been locked in a deep freeze for the past six days and many are finding it hard to cope with the cold.
On Boxing Day most people chose to stay warm at home or walk the malls but a few hearty Calgarians braved the blast of cold to try out new winter sports gear.
There were even a few bikers and joggers on the pathways working off the holiday feast.
Calgary’s homeless population is really hit hard when the temperatures dip into the minus double-digits.
Officials with Inn from the Cold say the agency’s numbers are higher than this time last year and have been at or over capacity since June.
The cold weather also has emergency responders urging people to be aware of the dangers of Carbon Monoxide.
CO leaks in the home can happen any time but it is more common in the winter when appliance use is in high gear.
In the past two days, emergency crews have been called for 25 Carbon Monoxide related cases.
Residents are reminded to keep vents clear of snow and ice to prevent CO from coming back into the home and also to perform regular maintenance on furnaces.
CO detectors are also available and work similar to a smoke detector and will alert occupants about high levels in the home.
“Carbon Monoxide exposure could be fatal in extreme circumstances, Some serious events could lead to them being in a hyperbaric chamber. Ideally it’s getting outside, getting into a fresh environment should EMS be needed, we would treat as well with oxygen,” said Adam Loria with Calgary EMS.
Steve Rothfels in the CTV Calgary Sky Watch Weather Centre says that the forecast is calling for a warm-up on the weekend, with day-time highs between -4 and +4.
