FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Governor Gavin Newsom signed two executive orders today to address California wildfires and emergency response.
Touring a high risk fire area with public safety leaders in Colfax, Governor Gavin Newsom said he’s spending an extra $305 million for fire prevention and emergency preparedness.
Nearly two-thirds of the $305 million has already been approved by lawmakers.
Newsom wants to fund mental health services for firefighters and other first responders.
The Governor would also help two California counties recover from “tens of millions of dollars” worth of property taxes lost due to wildfire destruction, the back filling of property tax losses would be a three year commitment.
He’s proposing an upgrade of California’s 911 system.
“We have an analog system in a digital world, it is rather remarkable that we haven’t made this investment in the past, ” said Gov. Newsom.
Gov. Newsom plans to propose an initial California budget investment this year without the fee, using budget surplus to begin, with a fee likely going into effect in 2020.
His first executive order directs state agencies to identify geographic areas with populations that are at-risk, many elderly, low-income and isolated individuals were unable to escape recent fires.
“We want to make sure that every region in this state is organizing at the grassroots level ah, strategies for evacuations, strategies for emergency preparedness,” said Gov. Newsom.
Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget designates $213 million for fuel reductions, $64 million for search capacity, adding 5 new conservation corps crews, and 13 new engines.
“Those engines will be pre-deployed in areas across the state that will be recognized by the work that would be done over the next 45 days as critical – what I would refer to as ‘red-flag’ areas,” said Gov. Newsom.
Newsom is keeping former Gov. Jerry Brown’s emergency operations leaders. He appointed Thom Porter as California’s new fire chief.
The second executive order modernizes the way the state contracts for technology systems, and the order’s first application will be fire detection. Instead of government prescribing specific technology solutions — something government doesn’t always do well — this Innovation Procurement Sprint allows an agency to specify to the private sector what problems it is trying to solve. And it allows agencies to convene outside experts to source innovative solutions and systems. In fire detection technology, this new process comes with the goal of having cutting-edge technology in the hands of emergency responders by next fire season. – Office of Gov. Newsom Press Release
Western state governors, including Gov. Newsom are calling on the White House to double its investment in managing federal forestlands.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
