Surrey MLA asking for donations of fans to keep vulnerable cool

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — If you have an extra fan that you don’t need – one Surrey MLA wants you to donate it to a senior in need.

Trevor Halford, MLA for Surrey-White Rock, says the idea came to him after hearing of the hundreds of sudden deaths related to last month’s heatwave. He believes it’s the least others can do to help their neighbours as temperatures spike.

“We could be in this again at some point, and again, and again … these aren’t one offs. We’re really stepping up and making sure that we’re protecting our most vulnerable, whether they’re seniors or whether they’re people with accessibility issues, mental health issues, addiction issues,” he says.

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Halford says he’s asking for donations, as fans are sold out at several stores.

“They’re hard to come by right now right because people people need them,” he says. “Not a lot of people have air conditioning. I don’t have air conditioning. There’s other people that can really use them right now.”

He says for people in small spaces who don’t have air conditioning, the heat “turns their house into a greenhouse.”

He says it’s a small step in looking out for vulnerable residents.

“You know what? If somebody’s got an extra fan lying around, give it to me and we’ll make sure it gets to a senior. We’ve had a few come in and I’m hoping that some more come in and we can make those connections.

“We’ve got to step up for our neighbours.”