The California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California
Department of Social Services, and California Volunteers will work with local
governments and non-profit organizations to provide fair grounds as temporary
housing. Farmers across the
state were scrambling to protect citrus fruit still on the trees, using huge
fans to circulate air and keep temperatures a little warmer in the fields. The
cold is threatening the state's nearly $1 billion citrus crop, including
oranges, tangerines and lemons still unpicked on thousands of trees statewide.
Monday, 15 January 2007 00:28
Cold Temps Prompt Emergency Declaration
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statewide emergency
proclamation Friday, mobilizing state and regional resources to ensure the
safety of residents and property during the cold snap. The proclamation
orders the California Office of Emergency Services to direct all necessary
state personnel, equipment and facilities to help "alleviate this
emergency." The Governor stated
that "I have directed
state agencies to activate the extreme temperature protocols established last
year to assist the most vulnerable populations in the state and asked local
governments and the people of California to take common sense precautions in
the unseasonably cold weather," Schwarzenegger stated. The
proclamation also provides financial support for local communities and the directs
the California National Guard to open additional armories as temporary warming
facilities.
