Nearly A million People Evacuated in California Wildfires
October 23, 2007, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As fires continue to rage throughout communities in Southern California, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is swiftly mobilizing federal resources and assets in coordination with the state of California and other federal agencies. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA Administrator David Paulison traveled to the affected area today to meet with state officials and asses the federal response to the wildfires.
President Bush will visit California Thursday. Mike O'Sullivan reports, fire has destroyed more than 1,000 homes in San Diego, and hundreds in other parts of the state.
Fires being spread by hot, dry winds, and have burned more than 165,000 hectares from Los Angeles in north, to the Mexican border south of San Diego.
The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that the President declared an emergency exists in the state of California and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the area struck by wildfires beginning on October 21, 2007, and continuing.
FEMA Administrator David Paulison said that the President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
Paulison named Michael J. Hall as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Source: FEMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvbRgAVIzVg
President Bush will visit California Thursday. Mike O'Sullivan reports, fire has destroyed more than 1,000 homes in San Diego, and hundreds in other parts of the state.
Fires being spread by hot, dry winds, and have burned more than 165,000 hectares from Los Angeles in north, to the Mexican border south of San Diego.
The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that the President declared an emergency exists in the state of California and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the area struck by wildfires beginning on October 21, 2007, and continuing.
FEMA Administrator David Paulison said that the President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
Paulison named Michael J. Hall as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Source: FEMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvbRgAVIzVg
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