SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — Not long after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a call out to the White House for an emergency declaration to help with a winter storm onslaught, authorities made the declaration. However, for many people, at least one county was conspicuously absent from the declaration...
Gov. Newsom's list included 17 counties across the state, including Sacramento and Stanislaus counties, but San Joaquin, sandwiched in between the two, was left off.
A FEMA spokesperson said President Joe Biden approved the governor's request for the counties noted in the state's petition.
An inquiry to the governor's office was directed to the California Officer of Emergency Services, and a spokesperson explained that the selection of counties was based on modeling from the National Weather Service for a proactive declaration.
However, despite the absence of San Joaquin County, officials said there isn't necessarily a reason to worry about help going where it's needed. CalOES said the direct support from the federal government, including helicopters and supplies, can still be provided anywhere in the state. In other words, CalOES said if San Joaquin County needs the help, they'll be getting it.
More counties can also be added to the declaration as well.
Tiffany Heyer, deputy director for San Joaquin OES, added that the declaration was focused on response efforts "moving forward."
"The state identified counties through predictive modeling of areas, at the point in time the request was submitted, as the most vulnerable to flooding/debris and mud flows," said Heyer. "The recent declaration (FEMA-3591-EM-CA) is about Direct Federal Assistance (DFA) to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts in the approved counties moving forward, not about reimbursement for what has already occurred."
According to FEMA, mission assignments from direct federal assistance can include the following:
- Task the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear and remove debris from roads, bridges, waterways, debris basins and rights-of-way for emergency vehicles and public access.
- Task the Environmental Protection Agency to remove household hazardous waste from the impacted area.
- Task Health and Human Services to establish and operate distribution centers that deliver emergency relief supplies to the affected communities.
- Task the Department of Agriculture to rescue and/or provide veterinary care to affected livestock.
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