Latest news with #CalOES
CBS News
a day ago
- Health
- CBS News
California Gov. Gavin Newsom launches gun safety effort centered on youth, community
SACRAMENTO – California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new campaign, Reduce the Risk, focused on informing Californians, especially youth and community leaders, about available protection orders. There are currently nine protection orders available in California and one of the main campaign points is to educate more Californians about how they work, according to the governor's office. Reduce the Risk is being led by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Cal OES, backed by resources and tools to share the information more broadly. "Protection orders have been a driving factor in reducing shootings, suicides, and domestic violence," said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward in a statement shared by the governor's office, "Yet many Californians don't know they exist. This campaign continues the work we began in 2023 to make sure every community knows how to use them." Guiding the efforts are two advisory councils: the Champions Advisory Council, made up of experts in law enforcement, legal fields, and healthcare, and the Youth Advisory Council, made up of young people who are "on the frontlines" of gun violence prevention. One of the members of that council, 23-year-old Max Martinez, a graduate of Chico State from Sacramento. He was pushed into advocacy work and joined the governor on this issue after injuries as a Sophomore in college that, at the time, made him doubt if he'd be able to graduate. "It kind of ignited a fire in me to want to create change and make sure that what happened to me doesn't happen to other people," Martinez said. In September 2022, Martinez attended a house party near Chico State and was one of five people injured, with ages ranging from 19-23. He was 20. Shot in the stomach, small intestine, and a grazed bullet to his head, he told CBS Sacramento his recovery kept him out of school for a semester. At times, he said his loved ones suggested he transfer and finish his college education somewhere else. He stayed and graduated in May and has a job lined up at the Capitol in the fall. His focus now is on sharing his story to inspire change. "We shouldn't have younger generations worried about getting shot while attending school," Martinez said. "If I can have my experience help prevent someone from experiencing what I have, then it's worth it for me." Martinez shared that gun violence prevention is a "constant" topic among his friends. If there's another headline about a shooting, he says they check in on each other. "We should be able to roam around, be wherever, go wherever, without fearing the possibility of experiencing great bodily harm," Martinez said. He's contributed to the Reduce the Risk campaign and says he's heartened that the information is being more widely shared. There is a website created for educational materials and free training resources for community organizations statewide.
Los Angeles Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Rep. Judy Chu and advocates push FEMA for more housing assistance for Eaton Fire survivors
Federal agencies must do more to house struggling victims from January's Eaton Fires, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) and advocacy groups argued Tuesday. Chu hosted a roundtable at the Altadena Library with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and other agencies, where a dozen organizations assisting fire survivors pleaded for more assistance. Even with the availability of federal vouchers and other housing aid, thousands of people remain bouncing between hotel rooms, living out of their cars or in other unstable housing situations, advocates said. 'Survivors of the Eaton Fire are slipping through the cracks,' Chu said at a press conference following the event. Chu is urging FEMA to authorize a housing program called Direct Lease where FEMA directly rents apartments for disaster survivors who cannot find somewhere to live on their own. The Times reported this month that FEMA hasn't implemented Direct Lease in Los Angeles even though it's commonly made available after natural disasters nationwide, including the 2023 wildfires in Maui. Nearly 13,000 homes were destroyed in January's wildfires with more than half the losses in Altadena and surrounding areas. FEMA and CalOES officials have said that their data shows thousands of rental units available across L.A. County, making the program unnecessary. 'We know from anecdotal evidence that that cannot be true,' Chu said. 'It is far from the truth.' Fire survivors have faced numerous barriers to finding permanent housing while they decide on rebuilding their homes, advocates said. Landlords' income requirements are too high. Potential tenants' credit scores are too low. Some landlords aren't accepting the vouchers FEMA is providing survivors. And the agency is including apartments in the Antelope Valley and other areas far from Altadena in its assessment of L.A.'s rental market. By not taking these factors into account, FEMA officials are ignoring needs on the ground, advocates said. 'There is a huge gap between availability and vacancy and accessibility,' said Jasmin Shupper, president of Greenline Housing Foundation, a local nonprofit. The push for additional housing aid comes amid widespread cuts to FEMA and resistance from the Trump administration for disaster spending nationwide. On Tuesday, the president threatened to strip federal funds from California if the state continued to allow transgender athletes to compete in girl's sports. Chu said that FEMA already has provided $132 million in assistance, including $40 million for help with housing. She said that money for Direct Lease was available through the existing federal disaster allocation following January's wildfires. She noted that she supported the state's request to Trump and Congress for $40 billion for long-term recovery efforts. FEMA and CalOES didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Chu's request. After Times reporting earlier this month, state emergency officials said they were reevaluating an earlier decision not to advocate for Direct Lease.
Epoch Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Debris Cleared From Thousands of Properties Since January Wildfires in Los Angeles
More than 4,000 properties participating in government-run debris removal programs have been cleared in the aftermath of the Los Angeles County January wildfires, according to authorities. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) The crews are removing burned structural remains, trees, ash, and other debris, along with six inches of soil, including two to five feet around the footprint of the burned area. 'Crews continue to work seven days a week across impacted communities, prioritizing safety and environmental protection throughout the operation,' said Cal OES in a statement. According to the state, $129.1 million in FEMA assistance has also been distributed to victims of the fires, and all eight public schools that were disrupted have returned to in-person learning as of May 5. Construction workers have also started rebuilding homes in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, where multi-million-dollar houses stood before they were devastated by the Palisades Fire. Related Stories 4/17/2025 3/6/2025 Concerns remain about the safety of returning to land that was burned in the conflagration, due to the potential threat of toxins such as lead and asbestos in the environment. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Calif.) and seven other Congress members said in March that FEMA had 'Families deserve to know their homes are safe and free of dangerous chemicals. This is a break from decades of FEMA precedent—and it risks exposing entire communities to long-term health threats,' said Friedman in a statement. According to state authorities, the South Coast Air Quality Management District is Homeowners are also seeking approval for new home designs and other permits to rebuild or repair damaged homes, while 267 properties are At an Ad Hoc Committee for L.A. Recovery special meeting in March, city representatives heard from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety regarding the slow pace of permit issuance after the city had approved only three permits to rebuild two months after the fires destroyed over 6,800 homes in the Pacific Palisades community. Since that meeting, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has In late April, Gov. Gavin Newsom 'The current pace of issuing permits locally is not meeting the magnitude of the challenge we face. To help boost local progress, California is partnering with the tech sector and community leaders to give local governments more tools to rebuild faster and more effectively,' Newsom said in a statement.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Cal OES encourages proactive measures during Earthquake Preparedness Month
( — The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services is encouraging Californians to take proactive measures to protect themselves as April marks the statewide Earthquake Preparedness Month. Video above provided by California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Cal OES will be hosting an earthquake simulator event on Saturday, April 5, at the Sacramento History Museum to better educate community members on how to protect themselves during an earthquake. Officials said more than 70% of the state's population lives within 30 miles of a fault where shaking could happen in the next 50 years. Cal EOS is also encouraging residents to use early warning technology as advance notifications could save lives, reduce injuries, and minimize property damage. 'Being prepared is our best defense against the unpredictable nature of earthquakes and their potentially devastating aftermath,' said Lori Nezhura, Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention at Cal OES. 'Taking steps now, such as creating emergency kits, practicing drop, cover, and hold on drills, and downloading the MyShake app, can ensure Californians are ready to respond swiftly, thereby minimizing risk and protecting themselves and their families.' Cal EOS provided other tools to help with earthquake readiness, including: An earthquake readiness guide Social media campaigns Seven steps to earthquake safety Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
