Council adopts heat-wave response measures, asks departments to prioritize outreach to seniors

The Los Angeles City Council adopted a motion to step up outreach and protective measures for elderly and frail residents during an anticipated heat wave, asking city departments, field personnel and community partners to make welfare checks and to avoid service cutoffs for vulnerable residents during the hot-weather period.

Councilmember Wax, who introduced the motion, said extreme heat can be deadly for seniors and the frail and urged public and private agencies to coordinate donations of fans and to expand the use of senior centers and cooling sites. "If every one of us undertook to look out after one or two people we know to be elderly, particularly living alone, there are a number of situations where we could save what could be a dire tragedy," Wax said.

The motion asked departmental field staff, postal workers, police and others to be alert for at-risk residents, to keep a hotline available for referrals, and to coordinate with the Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Aging and other agencies to distribute resources and information. One element involving potential utility "lifeline" turn-off policies was referred to the Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources committee for further consideration.

Council approved the motion by roll call; the clerk recorded the vote as approved and asked that the referred portion on water and power lifelines go to the appropriate committee. The council also noted prior informal partnerships that obtained donated fans for seniors and asked departments to prepare a public-awareness campaign.