SAN DIEGO — Governor Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that California has organized 8,500 emergency responders ahead of the next set of winter storms expected to bring serious impacts to the state this weekend and into next week.
The counties Newsom declared the state of emergency for include: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. It adds to the the proclamation he already made for San Diego and Ventura counties last week after the January 22 storm swept through San Diego County neighborhoods and flooded myriad communities.
The record 8,500 "emergency response assets" are ready to respond to potential flooding, landslides, travel impacts and 911 calls.
California has also activated its State Operations Center, Flood Operations Center, Caltrans Emergency Operations Center and the Medical Health Coordination Center. They will all coordinate a unified response with local and federal partners, Newsom's office said in a press release.
"California: this is a serious storm with dangerous and potentially life-threatening impacts," Newsom said Sunday. "Please pay attention to any emergency orders or alerts from local officials."
In a Friday announcement, Newsom said California will mobilize:
- 550 local government firefighters and support staff, as well as 19 swift water rescue teams and one local government urban search and rescue team in 19 counties through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System.
- More than 4,000 Caltrans personnel throughout the state.
- California Highway Patrol officers and other personnel, who can activate limited emergency operations centers.
- Five hoist-rescue helicopters, two swift water rescue teams, additional four-wheel drive engines and six handcrews through CAL FIRE.
- The California National Guard, if called upon, which includes high-water vehicles, aviation search and rescue assets, military police, general transportation, and heavy engineering equipment units.
- 500 California Conservation Corps members.
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