On Your Side: Behind the scenes with crews helping the most vulnerable during heat wave

The heatwave is nowhere close to over and KATU took a look at resources as our region’s most vulnerable try to stay cool.

One example of the resources is the mobile doctor’s office outside of a cooling shelter in Gresham. That is where Multnomah County Health Officer Doctor Richard Bruno set up shop, on Saturday.

"If they need medication refills, or wound care, or their vital signs taken and we can do all that in the medical van and avoid maybe having to go to the emergency room,” Bruno said.

In 2021, 72 heat-related deaths were recorded in Multnomah County.

Agencies are trying to prevent that from happening again.

"We’re doing all that we can so that we can have medical care at these cooling centers. So, that we can help identify when people may start to have heat exhaustion or heat stroke and get them plugged in with care right away,” Bruno told KATU.

KATU also followed the Portland Street Response around Pioneer Square where, under the scorching sun, a team handed out water bottles, cooling towels, and Gatorade packets.

"It means a lot to me that people look out,” Tom Muller, a homeless man, told KATU. Like many, he was referred to shelters and cooling centers but refused. “I feel better that I’m outside."

PSR said during the heat wave, people living on the streets are more at risk medically and mentally.

The crew said their focus is not just in downtown, but other parts of the city as well.

"We are trying to meet people where they’re at so that we can connect them to shelters or cooling centers if they feel like that is the best move for them,” said Ria Nochera with PSR. She added that both the city and the county are helping effort their response. “We’re doing a briefing every day in the morning to figure out what zones we are covering. We will continue to do that as long as this heat emergency is happening."

https://katu.com/news/local/katu-takes-you-behind-the-scenes-with-crews-helping-the-most-vulnerable-during-heat-wave
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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: July 8, 2024, 3:05 am.

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