As Halifax faces a heat wave, people are finding creative ways to beat the heat.

A heat advisory has been in effect across the Maritimes intermittently since last weekend. On Wednesday, temperatures in Halifax reached 32.1 C — the hottest day the municipality has seen in five years.

On Thursday, humidex values in Halifax topped 35 C and reached 45 C at Greenwood in the Annapolis Valley.

Taran Murray is a roofer in Halifax who said his team takes extra precautions in the hot weather, such as slowing down and drinking lots of water.

"We're all in this together, we take breaks as often as we need," said Murray. "We don't want anyone getting heat stroke or anything."

Another technique he mentioned was many roofers will wear do-rags to keep the sweat and sunscreen out of their eyes.

Taran Murray says the hottest part of the day requires mental stamina and lots of water for roofers to get through. (Patrick Callaghan/CBC)

Murray said the heat requires planning the day around the weather. If the heat is really intense like it has been the past few days, he said the team will take a break for up to two hours to cool off in Chocolate Lake.

He said the heat could add an extra hour or two a day to their work, but it is important that they move slowly and take breaks as needed.

"At the end of the day when everyone gets down safely and in one piece that's what the goal is. That's a successful day in my eyes," said Murray.

Roofers toil in the heat. (Patrick Callaghan/CBC)

Sheri Lecker, the executive director for Adsum for Women and Children in Halifax, said her organization is part of an initiative that has been delivering water every day to different groups around town.

They have been bringing water to different organizations who have outreach programs or have people who are out working on the street.

Lecker said they just want to make sure people have what is needed to go about their day. They have also been handing out sunscreen and hats over the past few days.

"We actually have to get more hats because I think by now we've gone through about 600 hats since last Friday or Saturday."

Sheri Lecker said in the summer heat, making deliveries is the most efficient way of getting large amounts of supplies out to many different organizations.

In the winter, the organization works with a small group to provide heating centres for those in need. But Lecker said in the summer heat, making deliveries is the most efficient way of getting large amounts of supplies out to many different organizations rather than having a cooling centre.

She said they are supplying up to 13 different organizations. On Thursday alone they stopped by nine different organizations to provide them with water.

CBC meteorologist Ryan Snodden said relief is in sight for the weekend with temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s and less humidity.

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