Cal EMA News Blog

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Cal EMA News Blog

Cal EMA Activates SOC and REOC to Support Local Jurisdictions Impacted by Power Outage

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 06:48 PM PDT

SACRAMENTO – The California Emergency Management Agency has activated the State Operations Center at Duty Officer status and the Southern Region Emergency Operations Center located in Los Alamitos to provide assistance to southern Orange County, San Diego , Riverside and Imperial Counties – all of which have been impacted by today's widespread power outages.

Cal EMA will closely monitor the situation and will work to coordinate state response resources, if and when these are requested by local jurisdictions.

The California State Warning Center has contacted all County Warning Points and has confirmed all 911 lines are currently working. However, call volume is extremely heavy and cellular phone lines are currently overloaded.

"It is essential that those impacted by today's power outage limit cell and landline use to emergency calls only" said Acting Secretary Mike Dayton. “This reduces congestion and allows emergency communication to flow quickly to ensure adequate response to those in need".

Identifying a person outside of your immediate area to contact family members who are separated is a critical component in any family emergency plan. When local phone lines are congested, and out of state contact can facilitate family communication and reunion.

For more information about this event, and emergency preparedness, please visit http://www.calema.ca.gov.

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California Releases New “Totally Unprepared” Video

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 08:31 AM PDT

*The following news release was issued by Cal EMA on Thursday, September 8, 2011.*

~Former NFL Star Gets Quick Lesson to Protect His Home~

SACRAMENTO – If you have ever wondered how you can protect your home and valuables from earthquake damage, “Totally Unprepared” has the answers.

This week, the campaign released the latest in a series of videos showing Californians taking simple steps to keep themselves safe in the event of an earthquake. Using easy to follow instructions, “Totally Unprepared” show hostess Susan Jekarl shows former NFL star Vencie Glenn how to properly secure his furniture – an inexpensive step that will reduce the risk of damage and injury during a quake. Having suffered losses in a previous quake, the message hits close to home for Glenn.

Recently launched through the collaborative efforts of the California Emergency Management Agency has partnered with the California Seismic Safety Commission (CSSC) and California Earthquake Authority (CEA), “Totally Unprepared” is a unique and insightful multimedia campaign geared to help Californians better understand their risk of earthquakes and how to prepare for them.

With a bevy of online resources and new videos set to be released each Tuesday through March of 2012, the campaign hopes to leverage the power of social media in getting the word out. A special 30-minute program is also being aired on twelve California Public Television Stations throughout the month of September.

The Totally Unprepared campaign centers around two web-based television series created by a veteran of reality television. In addition, the campaign is supported by a website containing news, resources, preparedness tips, and regular blogs.

Connect with Totally Unprepared for the latest information and resources at the following websites:

For more information about preparing for earthquakes and other hazards, visit www.calema.ca.gov.

The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) coordinates overall state agency preparedness for, response to and recovery from major disasters. Cal EMA also maintains the State Emergency Plan, which outlines the organizational structure for state management of the response to natural and manmade disasters.

A special message from CEA: With earthquake insurance from the CEA, you and your family will have the financial strength to rebuild and get back to normal faster. Working with our network of leading insurance companies, we provide claim-paying power and expert service. Together, we’re providing peace of mind no earthquake can shake. For more information, visit www.EarthquakeAuthority.com.

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Cal EMA News Blog

Cal EMA News Blog

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