Staying safe through California’s March...

information in this webinar, held in cooperation with Ethnic Media Services, is crucial to those of us who live in the various affected counties.

California’s efforts

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, assistant director with the Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at Cal OES, spoke about what the state has been doing to mediate the impact of the storms.

Across 14 counties, 33 shelters have so far been opened, with 15,800 under evacuation orders in 16 counties and another 6,800 currently living without power as of March 13, Crofts-Pelayo shared.

“The state is having round the clock 24/7 coordination," she highlighted, stating how the governor has activated the State Operations Center.

“This is essentially the full weight of the state, the knowledge of the state, altogether in one place…” she detailed, further specifying how they “have tightly coordinated responses and are rapidly deploying resources to protect impacted communities.”

Furthermore, she talked about how Cal OES is coordinating with local governments to provide various resources such as comfort kits, generators, sandbags, and other items to assist those who are impacted. “We’ve also moved some resources around the states. Kind of like a neighbor helping a neighbor. Especially for emergency response teams, specialized fire and rescue engines, and swift water rescue teams,” Crofts-Pelayo said, additionally adding how many counties that aren’t as impacted by the storms are also helping other counties in the state.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently declared another state of emergency for 40 counties across the state: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Yuba.

“Basically what this does is brings that coordinated state response to the communities on a local level so that we can help during this emergency,” Crofts-Pelayo said.

In addition to this declaration, a federal disaster declaration from President Joe Biden was requested. This would provide “life-saving response personnel and resources to the state that then goes to the local government,” she added, listing how some of these resources include generators, road clearance equipment and supplies as well as sheltering and potential mass care assistance.

“Being prepared is an essential part of the work that we do here,” Crofts-Pelayo expressed, stating that one way to do this is by signing up for the local community’s warning system. One such alert system to sign up with is on the following website: www. calalerts.org

“If you are told to evacuate, please do so immediately,” Crofts-Pelayo said, encouraging others to put together an emergency kit in order to be completely prepared. This kit would consist of essentials such as food, water, important documents, and other things that might be needed for one’s family, including pets.

“Do not drive around barricades. Local responders use them to safely direct traffic,” she said, detailing another way in which Californians can stay safe as driving around barricades could result in one being swept away by as little as 6 inches of water.

Community safety

The webinar's speakers emphasized keeping the community safe throughout these storms.

Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at Cal OES, provided PAGE 5