CAL FIRE - Air Team deployment - North Dakota

Gov. Schwarzenegger Deploys Resources to Help North Dakota Flood Victims

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has ordered a CAL FIRE Air Team to deploy to North Dakota to support flood rescue and recovery operations.

An eight-member California team of specialists, consisting of aerial firefighters who have expertise in aircraft command and control, will provide management and coordination for some of the specialized helicopters and other aircraft working to rescue those displaced by flood waters and move sandbags and equipment throughout the state.

They will be departing from Sacramento to North Dakota tomorrow morning.

“When it comes to disaster response, California has the best trained and most experienced first responders in the nation,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.

“We received help from several states during last summer’s fire siege, and we are always willing to return the favor by sending firefighters to states like North Dakota.”

The Red River, which divides North Dakota and Minnesota and runs north to Canada, has been flowing at three to four times its normal strength. Forecasters believe the river will eventually begin rising again after more snow begins to melt.

The request for help by North Dakota emergency officials was made on Monday afternoon through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a congressionally ratified organization that provides form and structure to interstate mutual aid.

Through EMAC, a disaster impacted state can request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently. In fact, during last summer’s fire siege, North Dakota sent a UH-60 helicopter to California.

Though CAL FIRE is best known for its wildfire fighting activities, the department has often been called on to respond to all types of disasters in California and in other states. In 2005 for example, CAL FIRE sent a team of emergency responders to Louisiana to assist in the incident command of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath.

Source: ca.gov.ca - link