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Heat prompts city house calls to vulnerable residents

(Joseph Leahy/St. Louis Public Radio)

St. Louis city officials are going door to door to check on some of the city’s most vulnerable residents as high temperatures persist across the region.

About 60 city staff members are following up with nearly one thousand residents who haven’t responded to robo-calls from the Mayor’s office.The elderly and disabled residents are listed on the city’s Functional Needs Registry.

The house-to-house effort even included Mayor Francis Slay, who was out knocking on doors Tuesday.

“We’re trying to save lives with this effort," he said, "and we’re going to keep going as long as this heat is here, there’s going to people out there that are going to be vulnerable and at risk.”

The St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed three deaths related to this year’s heat wave so far. Additionally, the Health Department has recorded more than 30 heat-related illnesses since last Thursday.