07/16/2008 GAAS:535:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version | Email / Share
Governor Schwarzenegger and General Renuart, Commander, U. S. Northern Command, Meet to Discuss State and Federal Military Cooperation for Firefighting
Today,
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger met with U.S. Air Force General Victor E.
Renuart, Jr., Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) to build on California's
successful partnership with the US
military in fighting fires and to ensure that the state continues to get the
critical resources it needs to respond to future emergencies. Also in the meeting were officials from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Forest Service, California National
Guard, California Resources Agency, California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (CAL FIRE), and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
In
the meeting, Governor Schwarzenegger discussed with General Renuart, Regional
FEMA Director Nancy Ward, and U.S. Forest Service Deputy Regional Forester Jim
Peña, the specific coordination efforts necessary to determine the use and
requests of Department of Defense (DOD) assets for the State of California.
Following
the meeting, Gov. Schwarzenegger and General Renuart issued the statement
below:
"State
and federal agency partners have come together today to discuss the ongoing
commitment of firefighting resources in California,"
Gov. Schwarzenegger said. "Through USNORTHCOM, the federal government has been
a generous partner to California, providing
DOD assets during the recent lightening-storm fires and the catastrophic fires
that ravaged Southern California last
October."
"We
are grateful for their ongoing support and for their commitment to help provide
resources. My administration continues to work closely with federal and local
officials to coordinate the assets necessary to fight fires quickly and safely.
Given the size and intensity of the fire threat facing California, it is only through working
together on a local, regional and national level that we will stay prepared to
fight future fires."
"We
are coordinating extensively through our Defense Coordinating Officer to
provide all the necessary resources that CAL FIRE and the State of California are
requesting through the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)," General Renuart
said. "As USNORTHCOM, in cooperation with the National Guard Bureau and the
military services collectively monitoring the wildfires, we are anticipating
what support may be requested by the Governor to respond as quickly as
possible. The safety of civilians, community infrastructure and the health and
well-being of the firefighters and crews battling the fires are foremost on our
minds."
During
last year's firestorms in Southern California, California relied on a multitude
of assets to assist in the overall effort to protect California citizens and communities. At the
time, this response provided more federal assets than any other disaster in
recent California
history. Since then, the State of California
has strengthened its partnership with the active-duty military to ensure
important Department of Defense resources are provided in an efficient and
timely manner for the safety of life and property.
