City Emergency Workers Give California Help

By ARI PAUL

The Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management last week sent teams to assist the effort to combat the wildfires blazing throughout southern California.

JOSEPH F. BRUNO: Offers help with wildfires.

OEM Commissioner Joseph F. Bruno announced Oct. 25 that a five-member team of emergency experts had departed for California and would supply the state's Office of Emergency Services with logistical and project-management support. The team planned to stay in California for at least two weeks.

Repaying Post-9/11 Debt

"Our hearts go out to all those coping with the wildfires that have ravaged California, and I'm glad that our fire and emergency management experts can offer some assistance to California as it deals with this devastating tragedy," Mayor Bloomberg said in a statement. "We will never forget those who came to our aid after 9/11, and this is one small way we can help repay that debt."

More than half a million people have been evacuated from their homes due to the spreading wildfires and nearly 460,000 acres have been burned, according to the New York Times.

The FDNY sent an Incident Management team made up of three fire officers and two Firefighters Oct. 24 to Santiago, near San Diego. The members are working off-line, department spokesman Jim Long said, meaning that they are providing assistance with operating equipment and supplying other firefighters with food and water.

"Basically they go support the operation logistically," he said.

A City Hall statement said, "New Yorkers who want to make a donation to support those affected by the fires can give to an established charity such as the American Red Cross or through the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. Donations to the Mayor's Fund can be sent in the form of a check to: Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, c/o City Hall, New York, NY 10007 with a note on the check that the donation is for 'California Fire Relief."'