Governor Brown Declares State of Emergency in San Diego County Due to West Fire
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an emergency proclamation for San Diego County due to the effects of the West Fire, which has destroyed homes, threatened critical infrastructure and caused the evacuation of residents.
Governor Brown Declares State of Emergency in Siskiyou County Due to Klamathon Fire
SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an emergency proclamation for Siskiyou County due to the effects of the Klamathon Fire, which has destroyed structures, threatened homes and critical infrastructure and caused the evacuation of...
Cal OES Director Secures Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to Assist Response Agencies Battling Klamathon Fire in Siskiyou County
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci today secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to...
Podcast #48: State Fire Chief Reflects on 40-Year Career as He Prepares to Ride Code-3 into the Sunset
Kim Zagaris, or Chief Z as some call him, is the State Fire and Rescue Chief for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES); he was appointed on April 1, 2001. He admits his appointment rattled cages, nerves and even a few...
Fireworks Not Fun For Everyone
The pageantry and beauty is what makes watching fireworks a timeless tradition. While the spectacle is often enjoyed on a grand scale, especially on the Fourth of July, it can also create a traumatic experience for pet owners. Those same abundance...
Cal OES Director Secures Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to Assist Response Agencies Battling Creek Fire in Shasta County
SACRAMENTO– California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci today secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources...
Cal OES Director Secures Fire Management Assistance Grant to Assist Response Agencies Battling Pawnee Fire in Lake County
SACRAMENTO – California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci today secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital...
Podcast #47: Rattlesnake Encounters and How to Avoid Them: We’re Hands-on for Your Sssafety!
In this episode we tag along with professional rattlesnake wrangler Lou Fraser, and state park ranger Kerrie Launey. Fraser shows us the kind of habitat in which rattlesnakes can be found, and educates us on their some of their behavior and some of...
‘Deadly Silence’ A Drowning Awareness Campaign
Can you imagine finding your child floating face down in your own pool? It happened, but this story does have a happy ending and we’re using it as a reminder for all. Backyard swimming pools will once again be busy this summer. Know what to do to...
Podcast #46: Geared Up for “Super Thursday” at CSTI Hazmat Training
In this episode (#46) we take you to Super Thursday, a sort of “final exam day” for students attending the California Specialized Training Institute (CSTI) Hazmat Specialist course. We talk with Alex Cabassa, Cal OES Assistant Director, and CSTI...
Snakes Slither Into Summer
As the weather becomes warmer, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and poison control officials are warning Californians to be aware of rattlesnake encounters. In fact, just recently a rattlesnake was spotted at Cal OES headquarters....
Podcast #45: Filling the HazMat Response Capability Gaps in California
Cal OES and 12 assignee local government fire departments are parties to a contractual agreement permitting the use of the Cal OES Type II HazMat Response Vehicles for local emergency response, out-of-service HazMat vehicles, training, exercises,...
Podcast #44: The Thomas Fire: Critical Public Information During California’s Historic Wildfire
From December 4th to December 22nd, 2017, the Thomas Fire cost more than 177 million dollars to fight, and forced the evacuation of more than 104 thousand people and had 8,500 firefighters from 22 states simultaneously working to contain it. But...
Podcast #43: Six Months After the NorCal October 2017 Wildfires
It's been six months since the October 2017 wildfires ravaged Northern California. Through coordination with California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and in close partnership with FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, Cal EPA...
Fear and Respect the Flash Flood, Play it Safe and Live
Another surge of tropical moisture will arrive in Central California by late week, and could last into the weekend. This warm and wet system has the potential to bring heavy rain, flooding, and debris flows, especially near recent burn scars....