SACRAMENTO, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- California's deadly heat wave overwhelmed county morgues and local hospitals while cooling centers were underused, it was reported Wednesday.
Now, local officials are examining their response to the emergency and considering how they can be better prepared for future disasters, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The state Office of Emergency Services said 106 deaths were confirmed as heat-related and 35 more were believed to have been caused by heat stress or exhaustion.
Fresno County Public Health Director Edward Moreno said he now questions whether his area is prepared to deal with a flu pandemic. In the county, where 28 deaths have been blamed on the heat, hospitals were overwhelmed by patients with heat-related illness. University Medical Center at one point accepted only trauma and burn patients for two hours.
Officials also found people were not aware of cooling centers and other services to help them get relief from the heat and some elderly and disabled simply did not have transportation to get to centers.
The state has earmarked $214 million for emergency preparedness. Some of that money, $18.3 million, will go to equip three mobile field hospitals.
