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Umatilla council pledges coordinated emergency-notification plan after Lifeways patient escaped
Summary
Residents urged the City of Umatilla to improve emergency notifications after a patient escaped from a nearby Lifeways facility; council added a discussion item and agreed to convene county emergency management, school officials and Lifeways for a formal plan.
Umatilla — Residents pressed the Umatilla City Council Tuesday to fix glaring gaps in local emergency communications after a person escaped from the Lifeways facility in McNary earlier this month.
Several residents told the council they first learned of the incident via social media and said official notice either came too late or not at all. “This incident and the city's response has shaken that belief to its core,” said Leslie Foster, a longtime resident who spoke during public comment. Denise Pratt, another resident, summarized the broader concern: “I have two main concerns: safety and communication.”
Councilors moved quickly to add a discussion of emergency preparedness and…
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