Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency for all of Oregon on Friday, as the state prepares to take the brunt of a heat wave that could send temperatures soaring into the triple digits through Tuesday.
鈥淏oth the record-breaking temperatures and the duration of heat present a clear and present danger, particularly for children, elders, people with disabilities, and people who work outside,鈥� Kotek said in a statement. 鈥淚 am urging Oregonians to take every precaution and check on your family and neighbors.鈥�
Emergency declarations are a bureaucratic tool that enable state agencies to more freely share funding and resources with local governments and other groups as they set up cooling shelters, hand out water, and take other steps to protect human health. That process is coordinated by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, or OEM.
In this case, Kotek said that the Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, state police and other agencies 鈥渨ill be directed to provide any assistance requested by OEM that is necessary to assist in the response to this emergency and to provide all necessary support to statewide response, recovery and mitigation efforts.鈥�
The governor鈥檚 declaration comes as searing heat is predicted throughout the state in coming days. It鈥檚 more in anticipation of need than a sign counties are currently struggling. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson issued an emergency heat declaration on Wednesday to prepare for the oncoming heat wave.
Temperatures are expected in Medford on Friday, with hotter temperatures likely on Saturday. Portland and other areas of the Willamette Valley might see temperatures topping 100 degrees into early next week. And in Ontario, on the border with Idaho, temperatures hit triple-digits for longer
Emergency declarations due to heat have become more common in recent years. Gov. Kate Brown did not issue a declaration during a 2021 鈥渉eat dome鈥� event that, many of them in the Portland metro region. She did declare an emergency during another heat wave later that year, and again in 2022.
Friday鈥檚 announcement marks the first time Kotek has declared a heat emergency since she took office in early 2023. She said in a statement that government programs and improvements in the state鈥檚 energy grid should make such declarations less necessary in the future.
鈥淗owever, gaps exist today,鈥� Kotek said. 鈥淚n the interest of safety and human life over the next several days, I am declaring an emergency due to extreme heat.鈥�
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