From the recent tropical storm, devastating wildfires in Maui, and FEMA’s disaster funding shortage, we know that we are not prepared for the unexpected. Extreme heat and adverse weather events are expected to be more frequent and increasingly worse. There are obvious patterns that we must address: low-income neighborhoods are the hardest hit and the least prepared for these disasters. There is nothing we take more seriously than the health and lives of all Angelenos.
This is why our collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety, the Departments of Emergency Management, Public Works, and Recreation and Parks, and the LA Public Libraries, among so many others, is key for overcoming this new normal as a City. An integral part of our early warning system and our collective City-led communications includes our Heat Relief 4 LA Campaign. Our communities and community leaders are the key to our success! They help spread the message on how to take heat seriously and prepare.
CEMO is grateful for the many Departments, Offices, and community organizations helping us increase access and share these resources. You can find out more below about the allies we visited last week to distribute our campaign materials. We are grateful to our City outreach partners for distributing even more to their networks!
Stay alert for the next extreme heat wave! Seek shade, water, and rest, and check in with family and friends. When in doubt, call 311 for a cooling center near you. All City of LA libraries and rec centers are cooling centers!