PHOENIX — Friday morning, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego discussed efforts to add "extreme heat" to the list of FEMA's Disaster Declarations.
"While the loss of life is dramatic, perhaps the events leading to it do not catch as much attention as they deserve," Mayor Gallego said.
She called on the federal government to add extreme heat to the list in her State of the City address earlier this year.
This would provide individual and public assistance from the federal government for services to cool homes and protect those who are at higher risk of suffering from heat-related issues.
"We could see additional resources for our most vulnerable populations such as people who are unsheltered and have behavioral health challenges. A federal partnership has the chance to save so many lives," she said.
Now, action is being taken.
Representative Gallego introduced a bill to Congress on Thursday that would do just that. He tells ABC15 that it would help take the burden away from cities and states with very tight budgets.
"This is an opportunity for us to bring down the funds that you pay as taxpayers that you deserve just as much as any other part of the country," he said.
There's no word yet on what would be considered "extreme heat", but Representative Gallego says it should be temperatures above the norm that also put a strain on the community.
