Gov. Kate Brown on Sunday said the state has begun a review of its preparation for and response to a heat wave that killed at least 94 residents.
During an appearance on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” Brown said state leaders had worked to spread the word, open cooling centers and distribute water.
“Unfortunately, we still lost too many lives,” Brown said. “Absolutely unacceptable. Following events like this, we always do reviews and see what we can do better next time.”
The Oregonian/OregonLive’s review of the state and local response published Sunday morning found that Oregonians struggled to reach agencies that could provide help, that the state and local leaders could have done more to explain how deadly the event could be, and that state emergency planners don’t have a plan for handling extreme heat.
Brown also said she had spoken to President Joe Biden earlier in the week.
Biden, she said, wanted to know how the federal government can assist the Western states in future heat crises, ones that are now predicted to occur more frequently.
“We need resources, and we need boots on the ground,” Brown said. “For example, we need financial resources to be able to purchase critical, essential equipment like aircraft to help us fight fire. We need to make sure that we have adequate boots on the ground.”
Brown also voiced concern about the fact that minority communities are affected disproportionately. She compared the heat wave to fires that have previously swept through southern Oregon, after which undocumented immigrants who lost their homes weren’t able to access federal aid.
“It is absolutely unacceptable,” Brown said. “These families are so much a part of our communities. They’re the heart and soul of our culture, and they are the backbone of our economy. They deserve the assistance, and they need it.”
-- Tyler Tachman
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Gov. Kate Brown: Oregon has begun review of heat wave response - OregonLive
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