I was reminded while reading “St. Louis hospitals hit by global IT outage. Some flights delayed at Lambert airport.†(July 19) that when we lose access to essential technology, our health systems are in peril. A global IT outage can push a heavy burden onto St. Louisans struggling with health issues. So can power shutoffs during extreme heat.
Extreme heat is a climate justice and utility justice issue. Access to electricity to cool homes, refrigerate medicine and meet other needs is vital to survival. Instead, nearly three million people have their electricity shut off annually because they cannot afford to pay monthly bills.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is charged with helping communities prepare for disasters. Yet when it comes to heat and wildfire smoke, FEMA has never recognized either as a major disaster.
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Sixty-five members of Congress, including St. Louis Rep. Cori Bush, signed a letter urging FEMA to use all available resources to respond to the threats of extreme heat and wildfire smoke. When will FEMA officially recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as “major disasters� This would unlock crucial disaster-relief funding for St. Louis to better protect workers and at-risk communities with everything from providing from accessible cooling and climate resilience centers to implementing strong worker protections.
Yara Changyit-Levin
Town and Country