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Tempe briefs public on microburst response after local disaster declaration
Summary
Tempe officials updated the council on response and recovery after a severe storm that triggered a local disaster declaration, describing emergency operations, more than 450 damage assessments so far, temporary shelter operations, and coordination with county and nonprofit partners.
Tempe officials gave the City Council an update on the response to a microburst that struck the city earlier in the week and prompted Mayor Corey Woods to sign a local disaster declaration.
Interim Fire Chief Daryl Dutti said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) opened the morning after the storm and that Fire Medical Rescue handled 170 incidents citywide, with TFMR able to respond to 134 calls; the department called for automatic aid from neighboring jurisdictions when units were all committed. Dutti said mutual‑aid partners — including Phoenix, Chandler and Mesa — covered 36 additional units during the peak response hour, which saw roughly 44 calls for service in one hour.
Interim emergency manager Monique Rodriguez described sheltering and immediate basic‑needs support. The city stood up a Red Cross shelter Monday night that remained active about 48 hours; organizers closed it when most occupants were relocated and shifted Red Cross resources to focused casework for heavily impacted households. Rodriguez said the city also worked with Tempe Community Action Agency for donations and Tempe Community Council for monetary assistance to help cover debris removal and other recovery costs.
Staff reported more than 450 field damage assessments completed by city teams and about 75 self‑reported assessments from residents and businesses; damage assessment work was expected to continue into the following week. Dutti described how the city used aerial reconnaissance (a county helicopter) to identify hard‑hit areas and direct inspection teams.
Mayor Corey Woods said the response had been “Herculean” and praised first responders and partners. He noted that the county followed with a countywide local disaster declaration and formally requested state action. Rodriguez pointed listeners to a storm resources webpage (tempe.gov/tempestorm) with a QR code and a form for residents to report damage.
Next steps outlined by staff included continued damage assessments, targeted short‑term assistance for displaced households, coordination with Maricopa County emergency management and American Red Cross, and tracking recovery needs that may inform requests for further state or federal assistance.
