SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of multiple personnel to Arizona and Puerto Rico in response to multiple hazards. This deployment includes two logistics experts from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to Arizona and one member from California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) Orange County Fire Department to Puerto Rico.
The CA-TF5 member will bring advanced planning and coordination expertise to help local and federal agencies manage potential storm impacts including heavy localized rainfall, high winds, and isolated thunderstorms.
The two Cal OES logistics experts will assist the Arizona State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Logistics Section staff provide incident support and coordination for Gila County and the city of Globe with ongoing recovery after recent catastrophic flooding
“California is proud to stand with our partners during times of need,” said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “Our teams are helping Arizona recover from devastating floods and supporting Puerto Rico ahead of potential storm impacts. When the call for help comes, California answers.”
This deployment comes at the request of the State of Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs and is fulfilled through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), Cal OES deploying the team. California stands ready to send additional resources if requested and these deployments do not affect the state’s emergency response capabilities.
Since 1992, California-based resources have been deployed to a long list of state, national, and even international disasters including 2017’s Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, 1992 Hurricane Iniki (Hawaii), the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the September 11, 2001 attacks, the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ian, the Camp Fire in Paradise, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the Montecito Mudslides. Earlier this year, California resources supported devastating flooding in Texas, as well as fires in New Mexico and Oregon.