Alex Brandon / AP

When tragedy erupted in the heart of our community, Las Vegas residents showed how much they cared for those involved.

But thousands of miles away, the victims of another horrible ordeal also need our help. The people of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico are facing a crisis of epic proportions, and to the shame of our nation, our president is responding with ugliness instead of compassion.

Donald Trump has repeatedly made blame-the-victim comments toward Puerto Rico during the three-plus weeks since Hurricane Maria blasted the island, and he hit a new low on Thursday when he suggested the U.S. would withdraw relief from the territory.

It was an unconscionably heartless moment, even by Trump’s standards.

Imagine being in Puerto Rico and hearing it. This is a place where, as of Friday, 90 percent of the population was without electricity and 36 percent was without drinking water. Homes and businesses have been destroyed across the island, and it will take months to repair damage to infrastructure. At least 45 people were killed — a toll that is expected to rise, as more than 100 people are still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, residents of the debt-burdened island are facing an economic crisis from the storm, due to business closures and what will be an enormous loss of tax revenue for the government. Workers and retirees face losing their income.

And here was a president suggesting to residents of a U.S. territory that the government might cut and run.

It was repulsive, and it was 180 degrees counter to American values. Not only do we uphold our responsibilities to our territories, but we take a global leadership role on humanitarian issues.

We don’t say, “Sink or swim,” especially to our fellow citizens.

So that’s where people in Las Vegas and other U.S. cities come into play. If our president isn’t going to help, then we need to jump in.

One way is to donate or volunteer with rebuilding efforts. FEMA recommends sending cash as opposed to food, blankets and such, by visiting the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official website or the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters.

Another way to help is to pressure Nevada’s congressional delegation to support measures to aid Puerto Rico. Those include additional relief funding and wiping out the island’s debt. The U.S. House on Thursday approved an $18.7 million package that included loans to keep government programs operating beyond Oct. 31, but much more funding will be needed.

As Trump has made abundantly clear, Americans can’t rely on the White House to do the right thing. Trump is lost in yet another temper tantrum, lashing out after Puerto Rican leaders dared to point out that disaster relief came slowly. There’s also more than a tinge of racism in Trump’s attacks, as he certainly didn’t blame hurricane victims in Texas and Florida for their plight but had no problem doing so in predominantly Hispanic Puerto Rico.

So with Trump unable to fill the bill, it’s up to Americans to show our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico that we’re compassionate neighbors.