On October 14, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a Declaration of Local Emergency due to the extent of the damage caused by the Sesnon & Marek brush fires in Ventura County. The declaration opened the City of Los Angeles to both State & Federal disaster assistance and directed the City’s Emergency Operations Organization to take all the necessary steps to protect life and property.
“In declaring a Local Emergency for the City of Los Angeles, I have made all City resources available to fighting the fires, helping Angelenos with their loss and preparing for State and Federal disaster assistance,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.
In the declaration, Mayor Villaraigosa stated the existence of a local emergency and directed the Emergency Operations Organization (EOO) “to take such steps that are necessary for the protection of life and property in the affected areas.”
He further directed the City Departments who were impacted by the fire and its ongoing effects “to continue to conduct damage assessments and collect cost estimates for the purpose of State and Federal disaster assistance.”
Villaraigosa also further requested that “the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors declare a local emergency.”
According to a press release from the Office of the Mayor, “Villaraigosa is empowered to declare a local emergency or disaster when he finds that any event reaches a magnitude beyond the control of the normal services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the departments within the City government.”
The Mayor’s declaration in a form of a resolution was submitted for ratification to the Los Angeles City Council who must act within seven days. (www.asianjournal.com)
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