“We are seeing this weather can be deadly for vulnerable members of our community, especially the elderly and those with underlying health issues," he said in the statement. In Vancouver, the police department said it had redeployed dozens of officers and asked the public to only call 911 during emergencies because heat-related deaths had depleted front-line resources and delayed response times. "Vancouver has never experienced heat like this, and sadly dozens of people are dying because of it," Sgt. Steve Addison said in a news release. "Our officers are stretched thin, but we're still doing everything we can to keep people safe."